"We are taking our anti-terrorist efforts to the next level," de Blasio stated. "We just deployed our first hundred officers of the Critical Response Command."
De Blasio explained the officers will become part of an elite squad of the New York Police Department (NYPD) Counter Terrorism Bureau. When fully staffed, the team will grow to include as many as 500 members.
Members of the team will be equipped with long rifles, armored vests, smart phones and heavily armored vehicles.
The heightened security supplements an already increased police presence at French government locations and popular tourist areas in New York City. The increased security was implemented on Friday following the terrorist attacks in Paris that left at least 129 people dead.