Citing the possibility of protests before and after election day, the memo said the deployment of officers of every rank could start from October 25. Commissioner Dermot Shia said a deputy inspector and a captain could be sent to the command force on the ground.
Shia called the November 3 election “one of the most contested presidential elections of the modern era.”
“Accordingly, we should anticipate and prepare for growing protests in size, frequency and intensity, which lead to elections and possibly by the year 2021.”
The department has been training for election unrest since federal law enforcement agencies discussed with sheriffs and local police over the past few months that they would be charged with keeping orders in the event of disputed results.
Deputy Chief Samuel Wright, who is leading the initiative, said: “The whole idea behind the training is to create chaos for the people, because the protest is against what started in the first place.”
Concerns include armed extremists who may try to stop or interfere with the vote count.
During the months following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in late May, groups ranging from right-wing activists and white supremacists to Antifa and anarchists have been active.
For the first time in decades, each uniformed officer in New York will take a two-day course focusing on strategic action as well as the psychology behind the protests. Training began in July, after which the department responded in a large demonstration after Flood’s murder.
Protesters criticized the New York Police Department for managing the demonstrations.
An initial report from New York Attorney General Letia James on controlling protests over the summer said 2,000 arrests had been made. The July report also includes a review of a social media video showing the NYPD vehicle being driven by a mob of protesters.
NYPD officials said they use some interaction lessons during the summer months to improve training.
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