Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday that New York State conducted more than 900 counterterrorism training exercises in 2024, reinforcing statewide preparedness and public vigilance against potential threats. These efforts, led by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT) and the New York State Police, included assessments at over 200 critical infrastructure locations, such as stadiums, campuses, and transit hubs.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority,” Hochul said. “Through these training exercises and collaborations with local, state, and federal law enforcement, we are ensuring our first responders have the tools they need and encouraging the public to remain alert.”
The exercises evaluated the ability of businesses and infrastructure operators to recognize and report suspicious activity, with a focus on high-risk sites such as truck rental locations, rail stations, and shopping centers. Teams assessed more than 700 businesses, including 36 truck rental locations, for potential vulnerabilities. Notably, 58% of assessed locations were new sites, marking an 18% increase from the previous year.
Law enforcement agencies across New York also participated in 66 NY-SECURE rail counterterrorism operations, reminding travelers of the importance of the “See Something, Say Something” campaign. The initiative was supported by the deployment of 12 additional investigators and two commissioned officers to FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force groups in cities across the state.
The state expanded its Intelligence Center with new counterterrorism intelligence and social media analysts, enhancing its capacity to monitor and respond to emerging threats. Cybersecurity efforts also ramped up, with OCT providing cyber threat briefings to over 2,600 state and local government stakeholders.
Public awareness remains a key component of the state’s counterterrorism strategy. OCT delivered more than 50 terrorism awareness presentations, training an additional 1,400 New Yorkers in recognizing and reporting suspicious activity. Since the state launched its coordinated counterterrorism initiative in 2016, reporting to the New York State Terrorism Tips Line has risen 33%, reflecting increased outreach and public vigilance.
New Yorkers are encouraged to report suspicious activity to law enforcement by calling the NYS Terrorism Tips Line at 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697).
