Local police, theaters review security

Posted: July 21, 2012

Philadelphia area police departments and theater owners are reviewing security measures in response to this morning's massacre at a Colorado cinema.

Police in Cherry Hill, home to an AMC Loews multiplex, issued a statement saying, they would "continue both interior and exterior patrols during and after all hours of operation and at the premier of larger scale movies."

The statement emphasized that there are no credible threats against theaters in Cherry Hill.

AMC Theaters issued a statement saying, "we are actively working with local law enforcement in communities throughout the nation and under the circumstances we are reaching out to all of our theaters to review our safety and security procedures."

In an interview with NBC10, Chief Inspector Joseph Sullivan, the Philadelphia Police Department's antiterrorism commander, said, "No one can be prepared for someone to stand up in a movie theater and suddenly open fire."

Short of airport-style security, officials have limited options, he said.

"We don't want criminal like this to cause us to change our lifestyles and the way that we live and the freedoms that we enjoy," Sullivan said.

He said what would help is for citizens to report suspicious behavior.

He said individuals need to "pick the phone up and call police" if friends or family members start advocating violence or collecting weapons after showing a change in their behavior and way of thinking.

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