J'Ouvert Security Will Remain Stiff In 2018, Mayor Says

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- Brooklynites will celebrate J'Ouvert under the watchful gaze of the NYPD for the second year in a row, officials announced Thursday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio gathered NYPD and local elected officials at the Brooklyn Public Library Thursday afternoon to discuss heightened security measures for the parade, slated to begin 6 a.m. Monday, with the press.

"In every community unfortunately there are some bad apples," de Blasio said. "In the past, a very small number of people have come to make trouble and we will not tolerate that."

Security measures will expand on last year's tactics and subjugate more than 300,000 expected spectators to searches at 13 NYPD-patrolled checkpoints, police said.

Security will start at about 10:30 p.m. when police close off the parad route, which will run from Grand Army Plaza toward Flatbush Avenue, Empire Boulevard, Nostand Avenue and end on Rutland Road, police officials said.

At 2 a.m., police will escort participants in the 26 steel drum bands to the parade's starting ground on Flatbush Avenue and Grand Army Plaza.

The parade will begin at 6 a.m. at which attendees will enter in through 13 entry points and officers will search them for alcohol and weapons underneath the light of light towers, police said.

Additional light towers and security cameras will be set up on streets adjacent to the parade, and participants caught smoking marijuana, drinking or selling alcohol will be issued summons at the officer's digression.

"It was done with a neighborhood policing philosophy," de Blasio said of the new security measures.

"We learned with last year's success that each of us has the ability to make J'Ouvert a safe and highly enjoyable event," said Police Commissioner James O'Neill.

"The NYPD has built trust and strengthened relationships with many of the stakeholders."

Photo by Kathleen Culliton