NYPD Counter Terrorism Bureau Critical Response Command

The NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau (CT) is the city's primary local resource to guard against the threat of international and domestic terrorism in New York City. The latest addition to the bureau is a team of dedicated, highly trained counterterrorism officers, called the Critical Response Command, that is equipped and ready to respond to terrorist and active-shooter attacks. The CT Bureau reviews possible terrorist targets and develops innovative, forward-thinking policies and procedures to guard against attacks, training first responders and specialized units and developing intelligence capabilities for detecting and preventing terrorist attacks. The bureau coordinates with federal, state, and other law enforcement agencies in intelligence gathering and sharing, and plays an integral role in the FBI's Joint Terrorist Task Force. Critical Response Command (CRC) is one of the Department's first lines of defense against a terrorist-related attack. A permanent cadre of hand-selected police officers devoted to counterterrorism, CRC members are trained to respond swiftly, with sufficient expertise and force, to the most highly organized and heavily armed attacks. All CRC team members are trained in special weapons and long-range guns, explosive trace detection, radiological and nuclear awareness, biological and chemical weapons awareness, and are equipped with the skills to detect an impending attack and utilize the best possible response to an emerging situation. The team conducts daily counterterrorism deployments to critical infrastructure sites throughout New York City, saturating strategic locations with a uniform presence to disrupt and deter terrorist planning and hostile surveillance operations. The obverse features three armed tactical officers under the Critical Response Command motto with 'Always Ready' banner, while the reverse depicts a bald eagle with the American flag and NYC skyline with the One World Trade Center, representing the Counter Terrorism Bureau's mission to protect New York City.