Hundreds of thousands of visitors will pack the Esplanade this Independence Day to watch the Boston Pops, R&B group En Vogue and an illuminating fireworks display, a cherished yearly ritual but also an enormous security challenge for the state.
The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) will coordinate with federal and local police departments to secure one of the city’s largest annual events.
The
state will draw on previous years’ security strategies with some
changes based on observations of terrorist activity and counterterrorism
techniques worldwide.
“As
in past years, the goal of the security plan is to enhance safety for
visitors and participants as much as possible while still preserving a
fun and inviting atmosphere,” MSP Director of Media Communications Dave
Procopio told The Boston Guardian in an email.
This
plan includes uniformed state troopers, local law enforcement officers
and the National Guard, Procopio said. The State Police Marine Unit will
operate on the Charles, the state’s Air Wing will keep watch from above
and the MSP will keep bomb squads and K9 units on hand, according to
Procopio.
Meanwhile,
undercover officers and intelligence staff will watch over the event,
even if visitors will not notice them. The state will also monitor a web
of security cameras throughout the Esplanade from a central command
post. Procopio still urged visitors to report any suspicious activity to
the police, either by calling 911 or by telling an officer at the
event.
“At this time, we can report there are no credible or specific terroristic threats to the venue,” he said.
Procopio
would not disclose the total number of MSP personnel involved, but he
says it is a “significant number,” funded through the department’s
regular budget.
The
Boston Police Department (BPD) will also assist with security efforts
throughout Boston. The department will send directed patrols in some
areas of the city, though a department spokesperson would not disclose
the neighborhoods on which they will focus.
While
the Esplanade is outside the department’s jurisdiction, in past years
the BPD has sent specialized units to the event and stationed officers
nearby to patrol parts of the Back Bay and Beacon Hill.
The
state has not set a schedule for road closures yet, though Procopio
says drivers should expect large parts of Storrow Drive and Memorial
Drive to be closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The
concert and fireworks display will run from 8 to 11 pm on the Fourth,
but concertgoers can enter the park through checkpoints as early as
noon. A less crowded dress rehearsal concert will take place on Monday
evening, sans fireworks.
Private
security staff will operate the entrance checkpoints on both sides of
the river. Procopio encouraged revelers to leave remote controlled
drones, backpacks, weapons, alcohol, large bottles and other prohibited
items at home.
“The
public should be prepared to go through the checkpoints and, if they are
carrying a prohibited item, to leave it behind,” Procopio added.