Protecting Pope Francis in New York this week "will be challenging in many ways in a different sort of way," former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told
Newsmax TV on Tuesday.
"Pope Francis is what we call a 'walker,'" Kelly told "Newsmax Prime" host J.D. Hayworth. "He wants to mingle with the people."
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"We're not sure exactly what he's going to do — and, of course, the fear of the unknown is high here in New York," he added. "But it will be fine."
The Holy See will be protected by the Secret Service as well as the New York City Police Department.
"There's an awful lot of experience inside the agency to address this," Kelly said. "Yes, the department is up to it."
His new book is
"Vigilance: My Life Serving America and Protecting Its Empire City." Kelly headed the department from 1992 to 1994 and from 2002 to 2013.
Authorities uncovered 16 terrorists plots against the city during the 12-year tenure of Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"They all were thwarted in one way or the other," Kelly told Hayworth. "Some as the result of good work on the part of the FBI, good work on the part of the NYPD and sheer luck — individuals that we knew nothing about."
"The message that should go forward is that we're going to be subjected to these types of plots for a long time to come in my judgment," he added. "We have to be vigilant."
"We have to look out in our dangerous world for what can harm us."
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