The New York Police Department has unveiled its security plan for the US Open, and at its center is a notable new power. The department announced that it now has independent legal authority to conduct drone mitigation operations at major events when needed to address unauthorized drone activity. Officials described the shift as a significant change from how such situations were handled in the past.
The tournament itself is a massive undertaking. In a few days, the 146th US Open Championship returns to Queens, where more than 300 of the best tennis players in the world will compete in front of about 1.2 million fans over two weeks. With nearly 80,000 people expected inside the complex each day, the scale of the crowd shapes the size of the security operation around it.
The drone authority marks a clear break from recent practice. At the World Cup, the NYPD's drone teams had worked alongside the federal government, and it was the federal partners who held the legal authority to actually mitigate unauthorized drones. Here at the US Open, trained NYPD personnel will be ready to exercise that authority themselves, disabling threatening aircraft without waiting on another agency.
That change was made possible by the Safer Skies Act. According to the department, this will be the first major event where the NYPD uses the new authority, and the first event in the country where state or local law enforcement conducts independent drone mitigation operations. It effectively hands the city's own officers a capability that had previously been reserved for federal agencies.
Beyond the skies, the ground operation is extensive. Hundreds of uniformed officers and traffic agents are assigned exclusively to the US Open detail, deployed 24 hours a day through the end of the tournament. This year that full deployment begins one week earlier than in the past, covering Arthur Ashe Kids Day, Fan Week, the qualifying rounds and the mixed doubles matches.
The department is layering in specialized resources across the event. The bomb squad, aviation and mounted units, and the emergency service unit will all take part, alongside intelligence and counterterrorism personnel that include explosive-detection canines and heavy weapons teams. Officials said there are no specific credible threats to the tournament at this time, but they will remain vigilant, with security measures that fans will see and others that they will not.
For spectators, the plan comes with practical details. The main draw begins on Sunday, August 30, with two daily sessions and gates opening at 9:30 a.m. for the first and 6 p.m. for the second. Concrete barriers will line the site perimeter, more than 100 light towers will illuminate the grounds, and all attendees will pass through a multi-layered screening process. With limited parking, the NYPD urged fans to use public transit, promising an increased police presence at nearby stations and additional trains to move the crowds home each night.