NYPD explores cell phone jamming during terror attacks, hostage-takings

Editor's Note: Police1 has collected the thoughts of several people in law enforcement with the purpose of kick-starting a dialog about how the events in Mumbai provide an opportunity to consider the nature of the threat we may one day face here in the U.S. We encourage you to read the opinions and analysis here and to participate in this discussion.

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The NYPD is examining ways to shut down cell phone calls in and around future hostage-taking scenarios without also shutting down the communications devices of the police trying to rescue them, Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at a congressional hearing yesterday.

Cell phones were simple tools used to deadly effect in the Mumbai terror attacks, Kelly told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs yesterday.