Apr 17, 2008 7:32 pm US/Eastern
NYC Inhales, Makes Final Preparations For The Pope
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
-
-
Pope Benedict XVI conducts mass in Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., April 17, 2008.
CBS
Ahead of the pope's arrival in New York City on Friday, last minute security preparations are being made to make sure his visit goes smoothly and without incident.
Pope Benedict XVI's 3 day visit to the Big Apple will be historic in nature and the security that goes along with it will be of monumental proportions.
"This will be akin to presidential security but in a way in a more sustained basis," said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
But unlike the president, the pope will be out in the open, in front of thousands of people.
Since it's impossible to conduct background checks on everyone, the sites where the pontiff will go are under heavy scrutiny. Just on Wednesday, the commissioner did a once over from above the sites.
"We did take a helicopter ride, we flew over venues from the air. We looked at Yankee Stadium and St. Patrick's Cathedral," said Kelly.
On Saturday, the pope will hold mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral and then take the pope mobile to 72nd Street, surely waving to thousands of onlookers along the way. Mixed in with the crowd will be tons of security.
"You will see helicopters and bomb sniffing dogs, all that those things. But I can also assure you security will be mixed in, wearing civilian clothes among the crowd," said Kelly.
NYPD officers will be working extra shifts and overtime in order to secure the pope during each of his 15 moves from place to place, an expensive plan that the mayor says won't break the budget.
"New York will roll out the red carpet in every sense of the word. In terms of the cost, you know, you do have to provide a lot more security, but it's one of the things that are relatively negligible and it ahs worked into our budget," said Mayor Bloomberg.
Because of the added security and road closures, traffic in the city will be very congested starting Friday through the weekend.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Pope Benedict XVI Visits America
Click to enlarge
Not All Docs Agree With Pap Smear Recommendations 29 mins ago 
Battle Lines Drawn Over Loud Brooklyn Church Bells 34 mins ago
Stumble It!
Comments