NYPD: Bicycles and drones prohibited on marathon route

Bicycles and unauthorized drones will be banned from the route of Sunday’s New York City Marathon as part of an intensified effort by the NYPD to keep the event safe, officials said Wednesday.

Almost 52,000 runners are expected to take part in the five-borough race, one of the most famous marathons in the world. The race, also one of the largest in terms of the number of participants, is organized by New York Road Runners with the participation of numerous corporate sponsors.

“The security situation was difficult last year, and it’s even more so this year,” New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Rebecca Weiner told reporters at a briefing, referring to conflicts abroad, particularly in the Middle East, as well as potential political violence.

Weiner said it will be a robust security apparatus, including heavy weapons teams, canine patrols, explosives squads that clear locations, and mobile response teams designed to respond to situations in all areas, Weiner said.

“Anyone who tries to disrupt the run is subject to arrest,” Weiner said.

The NYPD will also have a special anti-drone task force working with federal officials, and Weiner emphasized that unauthorized drones will not be allowed on the route. Weiner noted that blocker trucks loaded with sand will also be placed at key intersections to prevent any unauthorized vehicles from entering the route.

Patrol Chief John Chell said an interagency table-top exercise was held Tuesday to review the latest preparations and possible contingencies.

“The NYPD and our partners have been preparing for this since the day after last year’s event,” Chell said.

Policing for the 26.2-mile race will begin on Saturday evening and continue until Sunday, when all uniformed officers will be on site in the early hours of the morning. Chell noted that there will be a strong presence in uniform along each corner of the route.

“This year there will be no bikes or bicycles on the route,” said the patrol chief.

After the briefing, NYPD spokesman Deputy Commissioner Tariq Sheppard said the ban on bicycles only applies to cyclists trying to follow the race route. Bicycles will be allowed on side streets and adjacent roads, Sheppard said.

Chell repeated an old phrase to guide the public if they see anything out of the ordinary: “If you see something, say something, get the police, call 911, tell somebody.”

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a Newsday reporter since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from the New York bureau.