Security has been beefed up at Planned Parenthoods around New York City in the wake of a horrific shooting in Colorado Springs that left three dead and nine injured on Friday.
Joan Malin, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of New York City, told ABC the organization has always had a healthy relationship with law enforcement. In addition to increased patrols, police will also visit the roughly 60 clinics around New York State to discuss long-term security and strategies for handling emergencies.
On Friday, 57-year-old Robert Dear launched an hours-long assault on the Colorado clinic, fatally shooting three people, one of whom was a police officer. He has since made comments about "baby parts" to police.
“It helps people feel good that they know that there’s security and that there’s an added presence and that while this may have happened more than 2,000 miles away, we all take this very, very seriously,” she said.
Malin also appeared on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show to discuss how the shootings have impacted operations in New York.
"It's very important that New Yorkers know that we're open for business, that we take security seriously and that we want to encourage all our patients to continue to come to us for their reproductive health care services," she said.
She added that increased security is primarily to provide a calming presence to patients and staff, not because of any additional security threat.
At a press conference yesterday, Mayor de Blasio said the shooting was "unacceptable by every measure."
“We need to address the toxic environment because of what it means for policy, not because of an individual who did something horrendous,” he said. “I think we need to address it because we have an attempt right now to undermine Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood is necessary for the health and well-being of women all over this country.”
