Security was beefed up at this year's J'Ouvert festival after some deadly violence in recent years. NY1's Amanda Farinacci has that story.

With the sounds of the Caribbean in the distance, the incessant beeping of metal detectors could be heard at one of more than a dozen security checkpoints Monday at the annual J'Ouvert celebration.

"Unfortunately, it has to be like that, but if that's what it going to take to make it safe, I have no problem with it," one attendee said.

Last year, two people were killed during the pre-dawn party, and in 2015, Carey Gabay, an aide for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was gunned down.

In an effort to stem the violence that's plagued the event for the last two years, the city pushed back its start time from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., hoping daylight would help keep people safe.

"J'Ouvert is really at 2 in the morning, not at no 6 in the morning," one woman said. "It's supposed to finish at 11 so everybody from J'Ouvert goes straight into the parade. And then the parade's going to finish at 4. I don't like it."

"You keeping the guns out, and the killing, is good, but, you know, you're spoiling people's fun," one man said during the festival. "This is not how Caribbean people enjoy themselves."

J'Ouvert means daybreak, and it's the kickoff to the West Indian American Day Carnival. Both events are a nod to the original celebrations that began in Trinidad in the mid-1800s when enslaved people were emancipated.

"Oh my God, it's so much less, it's not fun anymore, when we are blocked off in every different direction and the time has been cut in half, so where's the fun in that?" one attendee said.

Police officers patted down everyone who passed through security.

Weapons and alcohol were banned, and so were large bags and backpacks. Some people were briefly turned away or forced to dump out bottles before entering.

Store owners along the parade route seemed to appreciate the increased security and the officers that seemed to be everywhere:  

"This is year is much better than any other year," one man said. "There's no robbery, there's no drunk, mostly."