NYPD foot posts assigned dual patrols after Baton Rouge shooting
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The NYPD says all foot posts are to be assigned dual patrol effective immediately following Sunday's shootings of police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The NYPD sent the message to all its personnel, adding that there would be no solo foot patrols citywide.
The message went on to say in part, "All uniform members of service shall arrive and remain on post together. All meals and personal breaks will also be taken in pairs."
Officers on patrol were advised to maintain a heightened level of awareness, and units in the field were told to immediately report to their desk officers any unusual conditions, especially the congregation of large groups.
All Auxiliary Patrol was suspended until further notice.
The NYPD issuing new protocols after the ambush in Dallas that are still in effect after the attack in Baton Rouge.
"This is fairly standard procedure," former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said. "It's happened throughout the history of the department for years. There were similar attacks against police officers in the 70s."
Kelly added that this recent rash of attacks on cops is something police have seen before.
"This is, believe it or not, cyclical certainly in my long time in policing," he said. "I've seen threats to officers, officers quite frankly being ambushed. There is a heightened state of concern, and then it gets back to a level of normalcy."
But others are warning that unless the NYPD makes changes, officers are at risk. The attack in Dallas reignited the debate on whether cops should be more heavily armed, and PBA president Pat Lynch said all officers first to a scene should be armed with long guns.
Currently, the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, Critical Response Command and Emergency Service Units all carry and are trained in long guns.
"Statistics show a police officer is killed within the first five minutes of an incident," Lynch said. "Well it takes seven minutes for the specialized units to get there."
