As Americans prepare for New Year’s Eve ball drops around the country, law enforcement is in overdrive to keep revelers safe–as the homeland has recently been stung by a Islamic jihadist attack and threats have been flagged around the world.
Breitbart News is monitoring the situation and will bring live updates on the security situation as the night progresses.
All update times eastern (EST):
11:00 PM: New photos from the Las Vegas strip:
10:40 PM: Photos of police preparing for the crowds tonight:
A New York Police officer throws small bottles with alcohol after searching on people waiting to get in to Times Square prior to the Times Square new years eve celebration on December 31, 2015 in New York City. The New York Police Department will have more than 6,000 officers in the Times Square area, including more than 1,100 officers who graduated from the police academy on Tuesday. It will be the largest such deployment of police in New York City ever. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)
A New York police officer uses binoculars while keeping watch from a rooftop along Times Square during New Year’s Eve celebrations, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A New York Police helicopter patrols over Times Square during New Year’s Eve celebrations, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
10:15 PM: At New York City’s Time Square, NYPD is utilizing a new, elite counter-terror unit. According to the Daily Mail:
The city for the first time will use its new Critical Response Command counterterrorism unit, which includes more heavily armed officers, to patrol Times Square.
The unit is trained to detect and respond to planned attacks such those in Paris that killed 130 people on November 13, or the rampage in San Bernardino, California, in which 14 were slain.
8:45 PM: Black Lives Matter protesters are demonstrating in Washington, DC.
8:15 PM: Scenes from around the country and the UK.