More Patrols Friday At Westchester Schools, Jewish Worship Places

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Calls by a Hamas leader to make tomorrow a day of protest in support of Palestine, in a recorded statement sent to Reuters, has led to a beefed-up law enforcement presence in Westchester County.

"[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday," former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaa told the news service in the recorded statement. "To all scholars who teach jihad... to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application (of theories)."

The reference to jihad gave rise to internet rumors that terror attacks targeting the West were being planned. While the fears don't seem to be rooted in a credible threat, the social media rumors themselves have led to concerns over a lone wolf attact by someone influenced by social media.

The Westchester County Police Department announced that it will be increasing its patrols around schools and Jewish houses of worship on Friday, October 13.

The increased uniformed police presence will occur in the five school districts where the WCPD provides school resource officers:

• Hendrick Hudson School District
• Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District
• Lakeland Central School District
• North Salem Central School District
• Somers Central School District

An increased police presence will also be evident in the communities where the WCPD provides municipal police services:

• Mount Kisco
• Cortlandt

In addition, the WCPD says it will be collaborating with all of Westchester’s municipal police departments, which are taking similar precautions on Friday in their respective communities.

The WCPD noted that there is no specific threat to Westchester County at this time, and that these steps are being taken out of an abundance of caution.

Through the WCPD's Real Time Crime Center, and their participation on the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, the WCPD receives intelligence information immediately from state and federal agencies and assesses it for any potential threat to Westchester County. County police say they will continue to work with federal, state and municipal law enforcement partners to safeguard Westchester County.

Police in New York City, New Rochelle, Rye, Mount Vernon, Port Chester, New Castle and Yorktown have announced similar heightened security measures and a more visible presence at schools and Jewish places of worship.