SALEM — In response to the deadly New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year’s Day, Salem officials recently met to discuss additional pedestrian safety measures they will implement to ensure that the large crowds the city attracts year-round are protected in the event of a similar attack.
“The terrorist attack yesterday in New Orleans has implications for public safety throughout the United States, but particularly in Salem where we regularly host crowds as large as 100,000 people on some October days,” Mayor Dominick Pangallo wrote in a letter on Thursday.
“Salem’s prominent place in American history and literature, its association with witchcraft and the witch trials of the 17th century, and so much more attracts visitors from all over the world. For these reasons, it would be short-sighted not to consider Salem a potential target for those who might seek to make a political statement through violence — for terrorism.”
With the ever-increasing popularity of Halloween in Salem, the Salem Police Department already deploys additional safety measures each October and other busy times.
The steps include additional and specially trained police officers, rerouting traffic, the creation of pedestrian-only areas protected by concrete barriers, intelligence gathering from federal partners and the state police, extra rescue and medical coverage, and the support and effort of city agencies such as the Department of Public Services and the Salem Fire Department.
New Orleans enacted similar measures including concrete barriers, which the assailant was able to simply drive around, either because mechanical bollards were out of service or because he drove on the sidewalk. A plan to install additional bollards, both mechanical and fixed, was already in development before the attack in New Orleans, but the city will now accelerate that project and also seek to acquire additional mobile vehicle barriers and concrete Jersey barriers.
In Salem, planning for pedestrian-only areas will become more rigid and enforced completely in October, which will be an additional imposition on downtown residents and businesses. Police staffing levels will also be reexamined as growing crowds may require bringing in even more officers from other communities and agencies, according to Salem police.
The city will also seek an outside specialist to review its existing Haunted Happening public safety plans.
“This conversation is not over, and we will continue to evaluate information from New Orleans to better learn from that terrible attack and improve our own safety operations here in Salem,” Pangallo said.
“While we are thinking about Salem, today we also grieve with the city of New Orleans and with the families and loved ones of those killed…” he said. “We hope for a full recovery for all who were injured, and we stand in admiration for the NOPD officers who ended the threat and saved additional lives.”
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202