The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - A report evaluating the police response to the World Trade Center attack found that the department was largely effective but had problems with leadership and coordination, The New York Times reported Saturday.
The report, prepared by the consulting firm McKinsey and Company, also said that while the events of Sept. 11 could not have been predicted, the department was hurt by a lack of planning and training for a possible terrorist attack.
The analysis, which was expected to be released next week, found that the New York Police Department effectively managed traffic, protected sensitive locations in the city, and helped evacuate the twin towers, The Times said. The report also noted the department’s losses.
“Twenty-three members of the NYPD gave their own lives on that day,” it said. “Nothing in this report is intended to detract from the courageous actions.”
But the review also found flaws in the department’s response, saying 38 percent of the police officers who responded to the World Trade Center did not know to whom to report that day.
It cites a “perceived lack of a single strong operational leader” and “unclear roles and responsibilities among senior leadership,” The Times said.
The review also found a lack of coordination after the towers collapsed, including shortfalls in securing the disaster scene, evaluating the risk of hazardous materials at the site, and preparing for future attacks.
It suggests many changes to departmental procedures, including more frequent emergency drills. Rather than heading directly to the scene, officers should be sent to staging areas, and many should be held in reserve, it said.
The report also recommends that the department share information with other agencies, including the fire department.
Department spokesman Michael O’Looney and Mayor Michael Bloomberg declined to comment on the report’s findings when reached by The Times.
The report was prepared using internal documents, radio transmissions, interviews with dozens of police commanders and a survey of 700 officers.