Kelly: Stop Clowning with Penn Station Security

pennclowning.jpg
Untitled photo of rodeo clown, by Zodak at flickr

According to WNBC's Jonathan Dienst, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly wrote a letter to the MTA, MSG, Amtrak, and Vornado Realty expressing his dismay over the lack of Penn Station security. Three years after funding had been secured for the construction of a legitimately effective security barrier to protect Penn Station from a truck bomb attack, Kelly says little has been done to implement any plans.

He did commend the MTA for getting money for a cordon around the transit hub but expressed frustration nothing else had been accomplished. From his letter:

Fortunately, the M.T.A. has already secured the funds needed to install the perimeter, but I have been informed that your representatives have yet to finalize an agreement on how the installation will occur and the perimeter will operate. My staff has had multiple meetings with your representatives but there is still no resolution to the handful of issues holding up the agreement.

This impasse has gone on for too long. I urge you, as the owners and the principal operators, to strike a reasonable compromise that will finally permit the security perimeter to be installed.

Most involved in the non-implementation are singling out James Dolan of MSG for holding up construction of a security perimeter. A spokesperson for the MTA said "The Garden has refused to accommodate the security plan, and we cannot proceed with this important project without their permission and cooperation." Vornado Realty and Amtrak declined to comment.

Hundreds of thousands of people pass through Penn Station everyday. A worst-case scenario could involve Dolan placing an underemployed but highly paid employee under contract (e.g. Isiah Thomas) in charge of implementing Penn Station security plans. And if so, God help us all.

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Comments (8) [rss]

Its a great day when we stop worrying about James Dolan destroying the New York Knicks and start worrying about him destroying New York.

It doesn't take a security expert to see that when it comes to Penn Station, you should be more worried about attacks that mimic the one that happened in London than a Truck Bomb.

Can a truck drive down to the waiting area? What is the issue? There are already barriers at the main entrances, but the MSG entrances going down to Amtrack's Penn could use a few.

Attention Ray "Coward" Kelly: you will be pleased to hear that there are new, highly effective treatments for paranoid schizophrenia.

Militant Islam is as grave a threat to America as a baby rabbit is a threat to an elephants. There is absolutely nothing to fear. Although maybe I shouldn't keep talking this way, it is highly disrespectful to the memories of all the Americans who have died in terrorist attacks in this country from September 12, 2001 to the present date ... oh wait.

It's time to put John Clifford, LIRR vigilante, in charge of security there. He can pelt suspicious people with egg sandwiches until they surrender.

construction / security company, (usually

created by or lobbied by Ghouliani 9-11

Trademark Team) complains

ray kelly complains theres no barriers

Millions are spent, rich people get richer off

FEARS!!! rich people happy, average people

actually really beleive its for "security"

just like they've been brainwashed to believe

that Iraq & 9-11 are related

They should open a Shake Shack right next to MSG.

That would be totally sweeet.

Peter,

Your comments might be insensitive to the London,Madrid, and countless other victims outside of the United States. While I am no fan of Kelly, Islamic terrorism is not a paranoid delusion. It is a very real tactic of an extremely small and toxic sub-set of the Muslim populations. Not that Muslims are the only ones to use such tactics, the catholics and Protestants blew each other up for decades in Ireland. Your naivety exemplifies the sentiment that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist.

p.s. Penn is a hell-hole.

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