The New York Police Department is gearing up for presidential election unrest, in accordance with directives sent out in a memo this week from Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.
According to the memo, the NYPD will require all police officers of every rank to report for duty and be prepared for deployment starting October 25, including members of the force who may not usually work in uniform, according to NBC New York. Deputy inspectors and captains may be sent to command forces in the field, Shea said.
Exemptions are to be made for the special operations bureau, the highway district, and the critical response command and bomb squad, NBC News reported.
“This November 3rd will be one of the most highly contested presidential elections in the modern era,” the memo reads in part. “There is also a strong likelihood that the winner of the presidential election may not be decided for several weeks.
“Accordingly, we should anticipate and prepare for protests growing in size, frequency and intensity leading up to the election and likely into the year 2021.”
Every uniformed officer in New York is also being required to take a two-day course focusing on tactical measures, as well as the psychology behind protests. The training is already underway; the course began in July.