The New York Police Department’s (NYPD) Counterterrorism Bureau guards the city against domestic and international terrorist activity. The Bureau develops plans to protect possible targets and is equipped with specialized intelligence units. It has foiled over sixty terrorist plots since Rebecca Weiner’s instatement as chief in 2023. The Bureau also coordinates with other intelligence agencies and plays a critical role in the FBI’s joint Terrorist Task Force. It holds a key position in the domestic counterterrorism world because of its ability to gather intelligence, disrupt terrorist networks and planned attacks, and conduct undercover operations that yield invaluable insight.
Images Sourced From: NYC Foundation, NYPD
1 Motto, Patches and History
1.1 Motto
The Counterterrorism Bureau is a part of the New York Police Department. While the Bureau does not have its own motto, the motto of the police department is “Fidelis Ad Mortem” or “Faithful Unto Death.”
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1.2 Symbols
Pictured is the badge of the Counterterrorism Bureau of the NYPD.
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1.3 History
The NYPD established the Counterterrorism Bureau after the attack on 9/11. In 2002, Commissioner Kelly established the Bureau to work with a separate unit, the Intelligence Bureau, to gather intelligence and combat possible terrorist attacks in the city. Then in 2023, the counterterrorism and intelligence bureaus were merged into one bureau, renamed the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Bureau. These two units still operate as two divisions and are often referenced as separate Bureaus. The Bureau is under the supervision of Rebecca Weiner.
Since its formation, the Counterterrorism Bureau has worked to protect the city of New York and to gather and share information with other law enforcement agencies, like the FBI. The Bureau supplies over a hundred detectives to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. The Bureau also works at developing better responses to possible threats in the future. It has spearheaded operations to equip the city with the necessary protective technology. The Bureau also deploys officers, Critical Response Command teams, to the frontlines of potential attacks.
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2 Organisation
2.1 NYPD Organisation
The NYPD is structured in bureaus, each of which is headed by a Chief or Deputy Commissioner. Deputy Commissioners report to the Police Commissioner. The First Deputy Commissioner serves as the department’s second-in-command. Deputy Commissioners in the NYPD have three stars. The Counterterrorism Bureau is composed of two divisions (intelligence and counterterrorism). Counterterrorism operations are conducted by the Critical Response Command (trained counterterrorism officers), the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force, Terrorism Threat Analysis Group, and Division Sections specializing in different threats like chemical or technological threats. Intelligence operations are handled in the Intelligence Operations and Analysis Section (IOAS) and the Criminal Intelligence Section (CIS), which includes field operations agents.
2.2 Bureau Organisation
The Counterterrorism Bureau has several sections:
- The Technology and Construction Section designs and implements large-scale counterterrorism projects, such as the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative and Operation Sentinel, bringing these projects from initial concepts to deployable operations;
- The Training Section develops and delivers counterterrorism training to the patrol force and to other law enforcement agencies and private sector entities;
- The Threat Reduction Infrastructure Protection Section (TRIPS) identifies critical infrastructure sites throughout the city and develops protective strategies for these sites;
- The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Section researches and tests emerging technologies used to detect and combat chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive weapons, and develops plans and policies for their use;
- The Maritime Team develops systems and programs to increase harbor security. The Maritime Team uses the Tactical Radiological Acquisition Characterization System (TRACS) for pro-active deployments and mapping of background radiation in the Port of New York/New Jersey. This is the only waterborne deployment of TRACS equipment in the nation;
- The NYPD SHIELD Unit manages the Department’s public-private security partnership, providing training and information to the private sector and addressing concerns from the private sector;
- The Emergency Preparedness and Exercise Section is the Department’s interface with the NYC Office of Emergency Management.
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2.3 Place within broader law enforcement
The Bureau plays a key role in the broader effort to combat terrorist actions through intelligence gathering and prevention. It shares its information with sister agencies and relevant law enforcement agencies throughout the nation. It works with the FBI Joint Task Force to combat terrorist networks through intelligence sharing.
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2.4 Responsibilities
The Bureau performs protective operations and intelligence operations to prevent attacks and other threats. The Technology and Construction Section is in charge of large counterterrorism projects like the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative and Operation Sentinel. The Lower Manhattan Security Initiative was a plan to install a network of surveillance cameras, license plate recognition systems, and radiation detectors around the lower Manhattan area. These systems are meant to serve as sources of intelligence for the CT Bureau. However, there have also been concerns of the police department using their technology to track civilians. Operation Sentinel was also meant to improve the recognition capacities of the NYPD. The Threat Reduction Infrastructure Protection Section works to identify key areas of infrastructure that may be targeted. The Training Section is in charge of the counterterrorism training of the force and is a key reason why the Bureau is able to complete its work.
The Unit also has a duty to protect international dignitaries and leaders who come to New York. Particularly for large events or those at the UN, the NYPD works to locate and prevent security threats, control crowd threats, and to create security perimeters. The NYPD collaborates with Diplomatic Security Services and the Secret Service to accomplish the aforementioned goals.
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2.5 Operational Methods
The Counterterrorism Bureau relies heavily on intelligence gathering and analysis in order to combat attacks. It coordinates with federal, state, and other law enforcement agencies to gather intelligence. The partnership with the FBI also gives the Bureau access to intelligence outside of the NYPD. The Intelligence Bureau uses a combination of human intelligence and open sources. One key tool that the bureau uses to monitor and combat potential terrorist threats are the surveillance cameras around the city. The bureau currently has access to the feeds from 50,000 cameras.
The Counterterrorism Bureau coordinates with the intelligence analysts of the Intelligence Bureau of the NYPD to parse through information and convey potential threats to the rest of the team. CT also has dedicated counter assault and protection teams, boats, radiation surveillance and detection equipment, the United States’ biggest bomb squad, a counterdrone unit, a network of NYPD detectives stationed in a variety of cities overseas (London, Paris, Madrid, Abu Dhabi, Toronto, Sydney, and others), and undercover operatives who combat illicit activity in the United States and abroad at its disposal.
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2.6 Key Figures
Rebecca Weiner: Deputy Commissioner of the Intelligence Bureau and Counterterrorism Bureau. She is the first woman to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism in the NYPD. Before this appointment, Weiner worked in the counterterrorism and intelligence analysis department of the NYPD. [source]
Commissioner Raymond Kelly: In 2002, Commissioner Kelly created the first municipal police counterterrorism bureau–the Counterterrorism Bureau of the NYPD. [source]
2.7 Recruitment and Training
To join the Counterterrorism Bureau, applicants must first be certified police officers, having completed the Police Academy, including all academic and physical training and testing. Then, individuals must go through specialized training with the NYPD to become a part of the counterterrorism unit. This includes a firearms proficiency exam, medical exam, and psychological exam. The training encompasses counterterrorism, strategies for working with the community, and career development. Officers of the Critical Response Command are trained in special weapons and long range guns; explosive trace detection; radiological, nuclear, biological, and chemical awareness; terrorism prevention; negotiation and de-escalation training. Some positions require a bachelors degree, while others emphasize language qualifications, such as Arabic.
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3 Team Details
3.1 Budget and Size
The planned budget of the counterterrorism and intelligence divisions of the NYPD is $224,778 in 2024. The team is made up of 300 individuals and 60 supervisors. However, the team was facing potential shrinkage in 2023 and again in 2025 due to NYC budget cuts.
3.2 Equipment
- Equipment meant to detect and combat chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive weapons
- Short and long range combat weapons: counter sniper rifles, shotguns, M4 carbines, and tasers.
- A flotilla of boats: the NYPD has over 20 available boats for patrolling and counterring water borne terrorist threats. These boats are high speed, all-aluminum medium C response boats.
- Surveillance cameras: these cameras include facial recognition software that can be used to track the appearances of individuals of interest. The CT Bureau uses the Domain Awareness System (CCTV cameras, license plate readers) to prevent terrorist actions.
- surveillance aircraft and a counter drone unit: The CT Bureau utilises Skydio X10, DJI
Mavic Pro, DJI M210 RTK, and DJI Inspire I
- Total Containment Vessels (TCV) which can contain the force and fragment of explosive devices.
Content: Total Containment Vessels Source: NABCO Systems
- Belt-work Trauma Kits (BTK) which contain nitrile gloves, pressure bandages, QuikClot (meant to quicken the coagulation process), and emergency tourniquets.
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3.3 Key Successes
The NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau has also conducted investigations into right wing extremist groups, like the Terrorgram Collective. The Bureau collaborated with the FBI on this case in order to share intelligence and disrupt the network.
The CT Bureau continues to closely monitor terrorist threats posed by ISIS. For example, the team monitored incidents of Iran hired hit men operating in New York over the past two years. Weiner and her team worked to verify and combat this situation. In an article by Vanity Fair, Weiner explained that since 2020, the Iranian government has attempted to kill either US government officials, Iranian dissidents, or activists in retribution for the 2020 death of General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike approved by then President Trump. He oversaw the Quds force and helped to keep order for the regime in Iran.
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4 Conclusion
The NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau is an elite unit focused on combating possible terror attacks in New York and around the country. They have a variety of resources to gather intelligence on potential threats and to act on the intelligence that they gather. The Bureau occupies a critical position in the intelligence and counterterrorism network of the United States. It works with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies from around the United States and the world.
The Bureau was established after the attack of 9/11 and has maintained the same goal of combating terrorist attacks and protecting New York and the nation more broadly. The Unit’s job is also complicated by their duty to protect international dignitaries and leaders who come to New York. The CT must not only work to foil illicit activity, but also protect those who visit the United States on official business.