© Mary Altaffer/APNew York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, right, is credited with shaping the NYPD's counter-terror effort.
New York - The New York Police Department could take down a plane if necessary, Commissioner Ray Kelly said Sunday, describing the counter-terror measures he implemented after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Kelly decided the city couldn't rely on the federal government alone after the attacks, he told CBS' 60 Minutes.
And so he set about creating the NYPD's own counter-terrorism unit, which is prepared for multiple scenarios and could even take down a plane, he said.
"I knew that we had to supplement, buttress our defenses of this city," Kelly told 60 Minutes.
"We couldn't rely on the federal government alone. I believed that we had to create our own counter-terrorism capacity, indeed our own counter-terrorism division. And, that plan was put into effect fairly rapidly," he added.
Kelly didn't divulge details about the NYPD's ability to take down a plane but said "obviously this would be in a very extreme situation."
International Presence
The commissioner also told 60 Minutes that the NYPD has intelligence officers stationed in cities around the world, including Abu Dhabi, Amman, Montreal, Toronto, Singapore and Paris.
"They're there to act as trip wires or listening posts" he said. "Is there anything going on there that (as I say) can help us better protect the city."
The NYPD also uses radiation detectors and has created a network of surveillance cameras in Manhattan to track threats.
To help foster a closer relationship with the local community, the NYPD has created a cricket league for city kids.
"Back in the old days, we played baseball, basketball with the kids," NYPD Inspector Amin Kasseim told 60 Minutes.
"But as we have these new immigrant communities coming from overseas, we have to find the sports that they love, that they genuinely love," he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I'm wondering if ray kelly (rk) has even looked into the reams of evidence contrary to the "official" WTC attacks... hey rk, a good starting point would be the A&E for 9/11 Truth website, which debunks most, if not all, of the NIST findings... one thing I am certain about though is this: I really don't need some nazi NYPD at the trigger of a air-to-air missile!!!... watching what those cops did with pepperspray unto peaceful demonstrators in the financial district yesterday gives me pause... and now we learn they are at the controls of missiles?... WTF amerika!!