Message of Clarity from NYPD Commissioner Tisch Before September 11

In the United States, New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that the distinction between the perpetrators and the first responders must be clearly preserved.

At the opening of the new September 11 Memorial Wall held on September 9 at One Police Plaza, Tisch called for “moral clarity.” The commissioner emphasized that those who carried out the attack were terrorists, while the police and firefighters who rushed to the scene to save lives were heroes.

469 New Names on the Memorial Wall

On the new memorial wall, the names of 469 NYPD officers who worked in the rescue and cleanup efforts in the World Trade Center area after the September 11 attacks and later died from illnesses linked to the attacks are listed.

On September 11, 2001, 23 NYPD officers lost their lives at the World Trade Center. After the attacks, thousands of police officers joined the rescue and debris removal efforts at Ground Zero.

Emphasis on “Moral Clarity”

Tisch said that the passage of 25 years should not erase the distinction between the nature of the attack and the heroism displayed that day.

The commissioner said that on the morning of September 11, police and firefighters were moving toward the World Trade Center while thousands of people were trying to flee, and that they risked their own lives to save strangers.

Preserving Memory for the New Generation

Tisch noted that today there are thousands of NYPD officers who were children during the attacks or have not yet been born. The commissioner said that, therefore, the events of September 11 and the sacrifices shown by first responders have become increasingly important to be passed on to future generations.

NYPD Commissioner Michael LiPetri announced that more than 1,700 NYPD personnel have retired due to illnesses related to the attacks. Officials said that the health problems of police working after September 11 have also led to casualties years later.

Security Measures Increased in New York

Before the 25th anniversary of September 11, New York police are also tightening security measures across the city. The NYPD is assigning extra units for ceremonies around Ground Zero, while the Counterterrorism Bureau and heavily armed teams will also be on duty in the area.

Officials say there is currently no specific threat to the ceremonies, but they announced that security efforts will be more comprehensive than in previous years because of the anniversary.

25 Years Later Historical Commemoration in New York

Mayor of New YorkZohran Mamdanisigned a decree to hold September 11 every year as a day of remembrance and service. The city administration also formed a new working group to update emergency preparedness plans.

On September 11, 2026, the anniversary of the 25th year of the September 11, 2001 attacks, ceremonies in New York will honor those who lost their lives in the attacks, first responders, and those who died in the years that followed.