New security plans for the Statue of Liberty could leave visitors vulnerable when the island reopens July Fourth, New York officials said Monday.

VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm, Getty Images
VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm, Getty Images
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Sen. Charles Schumer and New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called for the National Park Service to reverse its plan to move security screening to nearby Ellis Island.

"The NYPD and the Park Service have differences over how to best protect visitors from a potential terrorist attack," said Kelly, adding that he has written to the secretary of the interior about the issue.

"I know the NPS cares deeply about the monument and its visitors," said Schumer, "but in this case I think they've made a mistake and should rethink this policy change."

Park service representatives did not immediately respond to comment requests.

Previously, passengers were screened with airport-style metal detectors before they boarded boats at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

The statue was closed after Superstorm Sandy. Storm surges flooded the island, destroying boilers and electrical systems, but the statue, which is on higher ground, remained intact.

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which suffered severe damage to its infrastructure during the storm, will remain closed for repairs, except for the proposed screening area.

Schumer praised the park service for its "quick cleanup and repair efforts" on Liberty Island after the storm, but said that "it is particularly important that the unique threats to this site are taken into consideration for every step of this journey."

 

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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