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Retired NYPD Chief of Department John Chell told Newsmax’s Wake Up America that canceling New York City’s New Year’s celebration would send the wrong message to Americans who refuse to live in fear. That is the right instinct: when city leaders cave to terror threats or politicized panic, they hand the night to those who seek to intimidate us. Newsmax commentators and law-and-order voices have urged local officials to let trained professionals do what they do best and keep the show on the road.
The fact is the NYPD and federal partners do not roll over when threats appear — they fortify. Officials have described a hardened perimeter around Times Square, with sealed or removed manholes, locked mailboxes, concrete barriers, blocker vehicles, pickpocket teams and hotel response units working in coordinated joint operations to keep people safe. We shouldn’t pretend security is impossible; it’s meticulous, costly, and exactly the kind of preparedness Americans expect from their police.
Across the globe some leaders have chosen the easier route of cancellation this year, bowing to fear while the people pay the price in lost morale and diminished liberty. When Paris and other cities scaled back or scrapped celebrations, it only reinforced the narrative that threats can keep us from gathering — and that is unacceptable in a free republic. New York should lead by example instead of following the path of capitulation that emboldens violent actors and demoralizes citizens.
John Chell isn’t just a TV talking head; he rose through the NYPD ranks to be the department’s highest uniformed officer, charged with planning and operational strategy for exactly these kinds of events. His voice matters because it comes from boots-on-the-ground experience keeping millions safe across major operations, and because New Yorkers deserve leaders who back the police instead of second-guessing them from afar. Those credentials matter when the choice is between toughness and timidity.
Let’s be blunt: canceling a beloved American tradition because the threat is hard is precisely the kind of defeatism that infects our institutions when officials prioritize image over courage. The right conservative position is not reckless bravado but steadfast resolve — trust the professionals, support the men and women who secure our streets, and refuse to hand our public squares back to fear. If officials need more resources, send them; don’t shut the doors on liberty.
New Yorkers know how to celebrate responsibly, and Americans watching from coast to coast need to see our city stand tall. Canceling Times Square would be a symbolic victory for those who wish us harm and a deep wound to the civic confidence that binds communities together. So let John Chell and the NYPD do their jobs, let families keep their plans, and let the ball drop on schedule — because in this country we do not kneel to threats, we face them and move forward.
