NYC Tightens Security for Marathon
Just days after a pickup truck plowed down a bike path along the Hudson River, killing eight people and injuring nearly a dozen more, NYPD tweeted about working with its law enforcement partners to prepare for the TCS New York City Marathon: “Be assured, this team effort has all of us ready.”
Both competitors and attendees will find unprecedented security at this year’s race, thanks to the efforts of NYPD as well as its federal, state and city agency partners. A number of measures have been put in place—some of them visible to attendees and others behind the scenes—to make sure the entire marathon community is safe this weekend.
Marathon officials suggest people not carry bags if possible, to speed up access to venues with increased security. Those venues include, but are not limited to: the opening ceremonies, all spectator locations in Central Park and spectator locations on Central Park West. If you do bring a bag, make sure it’s only one per person, and no larger than a woman’s purse. All bags carried into race venues will be subject to inspection. Keep in mind, the following are prohibited at all marathon locations:
- strollers
- carts and coolers
- folding chairs
- hydration backpacks
- selfie sticks
- drones or other unmanned aerial devices
A complete list of prohibited items for runners and spectators can be found here. As always, if you see something—an unusual object, an unattended bag or a suspicious-looking individual—say something to the nearest race official or law enforcement officer.