Police are stationed at the Regal Cinema at The Shops at Atlas Park from 10 a.m to past midnight.
Hours after the deadly shooting spree in Aurora, Colorado that killed 12 at an early- morning screening of the “The Dark Knight Rises,” NYPD Police Comissioner Ray Kelly said police would tighten security at local movie theaters.
“As a precaution against copycats and to raise the comfort levels among movie patrons in the wake of the horrendous shooting in Colorado, the New York City Police Depart- ment is providing coverage at theaters where the ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is playing in the five boroughs,” Kelly said in a statement sent out Friday morning.
In the 104th Precinct in Queens, that means a constant presence, said Captain Michael Cody, commanding officer at the precinct, and that measure is still in place for the time being.
Since the Colorado shooting where suspect James Holmes allegedly burst into the theater,
threw a tear gas canister and opened fire with an assault rifle, shotgun and two handguns, po- lice officers are stationed at the Regal Cinemas at the Shops at Atlas Park any time the theater is open.
This means from about 10 a.m. until past midnight, there are extra cops patrolling the ground, Cody said.
The 104th, like other precincts, is also coordinating with security personell already on sight.
Cody said that as soon as officers get to Atlas, they speak to the theater personnel to let them know they are on-hand.
After that: “Police Officers remain on foot in front of the theater looking for any suspicious persons entering the theater,” Cody said.
Cody also noted that the Atlas Park theater is the only one in the precinct or other busi- ness would receive the same precautions.
By Jeremiah Dobruck
j.dobruck@theforumnewsgroup.com
