Portuguese man enters One Police Plaza NYPD headquarters in New York City unchallenged

A Portuguese man managed to infiltrate the heavily-guarded One Police Plaza in New York City, and enter the Joint Operations Centre of the NYPD.

According to the New York Post, on October 28, 65-year-old José Luís Soares gained access by getting under the gate of one of the building’s two garage entrances.

The important police facility is located on Park Row in Civic Centre, Manhattan, near New York City’s City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Citing court documents, the news outlet revealed that although they were guarded by uniformed armed police officers, he subsequently passed through several security checkpoints.

Once inside the 14-storey building, he eventually passed through a door that was clearly marked ‘staff only’ and made his way to a roof on the second floor.

What happened next?

Incredibly, Soares then found himself inside the Joint Operations Centre, on the second floor. This is a room staffed by police officers who observe the numerous surveillance cameras that are located across the city.

‘It’s supposed to be one of the safest buildings in the city. This just shows the incompetence of some of the people we are hiring. What a breach’, a Manhattan, New York, police officer told The Post.

As a result of his actions, Soares was charged with two counts of criminal trespass. The Portuguese national offered no explanation for his excursion and was ordered to complete an alternative sentencing program until January 8, 2024.