Anti-terrorist tactics in New York City has led to the conversion of five old municipal trucks into mobile blocker units which can be deployed to halt vehicle attacks, such as those in Nice, Berlin and New York City itself.

The New York Police Department saw that trucks could be used to provide mobile physical security on short notice wherever needed and asked the city's Department of Citywide Administration Services (DCAS) for help in creating a blocker security fleet.

Keith Kerman, deputy commissioner and chief fleet officer, said the trucks being used are large vehicles that had been scheduled for replacement. Since being earmarked for the blocker fleet they have been have been specially reinforced to help them stop larger vehicles travelling at speed.

They can now be used to block streets or pavements and will be used to support NYPD event and emergency response operations citywide.