Nassau County Beefs Up Security At Jewish Facilities In Wake Of Paris Attacks
CEDARHURST, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- With France stationing thousands of soldiers and police outside vulnerable locations, some would like to see more muscle on Long Island.
Some changes are being made in the wake of last week's terror attacks in Paris, CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported. Outside a religious high school, for example, there were stepped-up police patrols.
"We had intensified patrols," Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said. "We continue outreach to the synagogues and rabbis."
"Without our partners, the public, we're not going to succeed in preventing terror, or preventing crime for that matter," said Thomas Krumpter, Nassau's acting police commissioner.
Nassau County officials say there is no known threat, but they're re-evaluating security at Jewish schools, businesses and houses of worship.
Nassau police will meet Wednesday night with dozens of Jewish leaders. They'll offer free security reassessments and the opportunity for schools and houses of worship to link their security cameras with the county.
"People are scared. And I think rightfully so," said Rabbi Heshie Billet of Young Israel of Woodmere.
It's not just terror in Paris that has the community on edge, but also recent attacks inside synagogues in Jerusalem in November and in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, last month.
Billet said business as usual must change.
"They have a lot of ground to cover and they have limited manpower and, I guess, not enough money to hire enough police, but we do need more help," he said.
In the five Nassau towns with concentrated Jewish populations, some synagogues highly train member volunteers to weed out suspicious behavior.
There's more worry about public places.
"I'm hoping that what we're doing is enough, but I know I can't be sure," said Rachel Zimmer, of Lawrence.
David Gerrasi, owner of a kosher pizza parlor, believes little can be done locally to stop those hell-bent on death.
"Unfortunately, we're dealing with people that are not afraid to die, and this is the hardest people to deal with," Gerrasi said.
Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-Long Island, issued a reminder: "No truer words have ever been said. 'If you see something, say something.' It is really that simple."
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