The city is promising a safe New Year's Eve for those who plan to ring in 2017 in Times Square on Saturday night. NY1's Rocco Vertuccio filed the following report.

A dress rehearsal was held in Times Square Friday for the star attraction in the biggest New Year's party on the planet.

Organizers flipped the switch on the six-ton dazzling ball, making sure the are no glitches with the 32,000 LED lights and 2,700 Waterford crystals.

"We now know we can sleep easy tonight. We know it's going to work perfectly," said Jeffrey Straus of Countdown Entertainment.

Police closed off trash receptacles to prevent explosives from being placed inside.

The security is being called unprecedented, with 7,000 police officers, including counterterrorism teams and bomb-sniffing dogs.

For the first time ever in Times Square, 65 sanitation trucks filled with sand will be used to prevent a truck attack like the ones in Europe, most recently in Berlin, where terrorists killed and injured dozens of people.

"We’re going to have one of the most well-policed, best protected events at one of the safest venues in the entire world given all the assets that we deploy there," said NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill.

Tourists were impressed by the show of force. 

"It makes me feel safer," said Julio Cesar, who is visiting from Brazil. "With everyone working, it's really interesting to be here, especially with all the security and being close to the NYPD. Man, it's fantastic."

And more preps. Crews putting the finishing touches on the stages where Mariah Carey and Gloria Estefan will perform and celebrate the official arrival of a new year when the ball drops ... this time for real .

The NYPD is also enforcing strict rules: no alcohol, no umbrellas, backpacks or large bags. If you leave the secured areas before the ball drops, you won't be allowed back in. 

Programming note: A reminder that NY1 is your place for the best live coverage of New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Our special show "Countdown to 2017" starts at 11 p.m. Saturday.

And as we do every year, we'll let you enjoy the sights and sounds without commentary during and after the ball drop.