NYPD Assistant Chief Michael Kemper sat down with NY1’s Dean Meminger Saturday to discuss what New York City should expect for the NYPD’s presence at J’Ouvert and West Indian American Day Parade festivities this weekend. 

The commanding officer of Brooklyn South also went into detail on Friday on the large police presence expected.

“Our plans are extensive,” he said.

Kemper said the parade area, Eastern Parkway and Flatbush Avenue, will become a “frozen zone.” He explained that everyone has to enter a security checkpoint area to ensure no one is carrying weapons, alcohol or contraband.

“So anyone that comes on to the route will go through security checkpoint, yes,” he said.

According to Kemper, there’s a variety of strategies and elements the NYPD took in place to ensure a safe weekend.

On Wednesday, Kemper said there was a ceasefire call meeting that consisted of 30 individuals who were “at risk for perpetrating violence or becoming victims of violence,” along with a collaborative group of city, state and federal partners and people who lost children to gun violence to talk about what not to do this weekend. 

Kemper added that they emphasized to the individuals that if any of them do any harm over the weekend, all of the agencies that attended the meeting “are going to prioritize your arrest.”

When asked about conflict between police and paradegoers in the past, Kemper ensured that every cop was mandated and trained for the upcoming parades.

“Every cop that’s going to be assigned to the parade, upon arrival, they’re going to be trained by an executive member of the department on the meaning of J’Ouvert, West Indian Day Parade and given clear direction and expectations,” he said, adding that a Caribbean community member will give the police additional education and training as well.