The Nassau County Police Department will step up patrols at local temples, shuls, yeshivas and other prospective targets of the Jewish community in light of last week’s terrorist attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria.
Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray had requested the patrols in a letter to Commissioner Thomas Dale after last Wednesday’s suicide bus bombing, which killed five vacationing Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver.
“With the Bulgarian attacks as a backdrop and the domestic terrorism, I certainly know that folks in the Five Towns area specifically are feeling a sense of unease,” Murray told Patch. “The fact remains that increased patrols increases the comfort level of our citizens.”
In Murray’s letter to the commissioner, the supervisor requests boosted patrols “around shuls, temples, yeshiva schools, Young Israel locations and all other sites that could be prospective targets of terrorist attacks on the Jewish community.”
According to a NCPD spokesperson, the K-9 unit, bureau of special operations, emergency service units as well as regular patrol units “will be paying special vigilance to these locations. All commands and precincts have been advised to step up patrols in the area.”
Before writing her letter, Murray consulted with Rabbi Hershel Billet of .
"I told her that we can always use more security. The police are stretched to their limits," he said. "We can never have 'too much' security."
The Hempstead supervisor added that residents should also be aware of their surroundings.
“To borrow a phrase, ‘if you see something, say something.’ That should be the mantra for all of us,” she said. “To have citizen activists call the police if they see something suspicious or feel suspicion, that’s a huge assist to our police officers. They can’t be everywhere at every time.”
Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner had organized a with that exact message. He said that he is thankful for the stepped-up patrols.
Does the attack abroad have you concerned about the safety of Jewish communities in the United States? Tell us in the comments section.
