UPDATE NOV. 13: Installation of the bollards (steel posts) on the Las Vegas Strip has begun. Clark County is installing about 800 bollards along Las Vegas Boulevard between the street and sidewalk. The purpose of the posts is to prevent vehicles from being driving onto the sidewalk and into pedestrians.
ORIGINAL STORY
For years, Las Vegas police have feared a potential terror attack like the one in New York. Authorities have taken steps to cut down the likelihood of a similiar attack.
As recently as June, 13 Action News reported Clark County leaders were working to implement the installation barriers, also known as bollards, to guard against vehicle ramming attacks on strip sidewalks.
Contact 13 spoke to Doron Benbenisty, an Israeli trained Special Forces operator, and counter terrorism expert about the New York terror attack. Benbenisty also owns and operates CRI, Counter Terrorism Training School, in North Las Vegas.
Benbenisty says in his experience, terrorists are cowards, looking for easy targets. Benbenisty said there should be three layers of defense along the strip to guard against potential terror attacks.
"The barriers are great, then the cover and undercover police officers are the second line of the fence, and a third level of defense are the cameras," added Benbenisty.
Las Vegas Police currently staff their counter terrorism Fusion Center, which has a network of high definition cameras which can see many parts of the strip.
