New York ( CNN ) -- On the eve of the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks , New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is questioning why none of the city 's mayoral candidates has requested a briefing from the NYPD about its counterterrorism program , strategies or tactics . He told an audience that even though the threat of terror in New York City is as substantial as ever , mayoral candidates have yet to meet with him about their plans for fighting terrorism in America 's largest city . `` The threat of terrorism is as great , if not greater , today than it was before the World Trade Center was destroyed , '' Kelly said Monday , speaking in front of the Association for a Better New York and Council on Foreign Relations . `` Yet I can tell you that none of the candidates has requested a briefing from the Police Department on this topic . I believe the public has a right to ask them some important questions . '' Kelly noted that in the past 10 months , at least five terror plots against New York City were foiled , including the potential attack by the Boston bombing brothers had they not been captured . `` What is their understanding of the terrorist threat to New York City and its immediacy ? What is their perspective on the role the NYPD should play in protecting New York from global terrorism ? Will they expend their political capital and continue to fight in Washington , D.C. , for the federal funds we need to maintain our defenses ? '' Kelly asked . The city 's primary election for mayor is taking place Tuesday . A spokesman for Bill de Blasio , the mayoral front-runner garnering 39 % of Democratic primary voters , according to a Quinnipiac poll released Monday , told CNN that de Blasio requested a counterterrorism briefing on August 29 . `` Bill de Blasio believes there is nothing more important than protecting New York City from the threat of terror and keeping New Yorkers safe . After the President 's remarks on Syria , the office requested a briefing from the NYPD on the city 's counter-terror efforts and is working with City Hall to schedule it , '' Wiley Norvell , press secretary for de Blasio , told CNN on Monday . Bill Thompson , who is receiving 25 % of the Democratic vote , according to the poll , did not respond to CNN 's request for comment . On his campaign website , Thompson says he plans to enhance and establish security measures to protect roads , bridges and tunnels from terror . Specifically , the plans include strategies from `` keeping token-booth operators in the stations '' to `` speeding up the installation of cameras and motion detectors on platforms . '' Christine Quinn addresses counterterrorism in her platform for mayor . According to the Quinnipiac poll , Quinn has 18 % of the vote among Democrats . `` Christine Quinn is the speaker of the City Council , and as part of her day-to-day job helping run this city , she has conversations and briefings regularly with the NYPD on everything from crime to counterterrorism , '' Mike Morey , a spokesman for Quinn , said Monday . `` In the course of this campaign , she has been advised by and consulted with numerous officials in the NYPD and with anti-terrorism experts because she knows the single most important responsibility for the mayor of New York is keeping the public safe . '' Quinn has called for more city employees to be trained in counterterrorism tactics , including sanitation and transit workers , making them a bigger part of the surveillance program . She also proposed a review of New York City infrastructure that could be vulnerable to terror attacks , including metal trash cans , and said the New York City Police Department should be more closely engaged with universities to design curricula to `` fight crimes of the future . '' In his speech , Kelly emphasized the public 's responsibility to inquire about the future of New York City 's safety and push beyond complacency . `` The public should demand detailed answers from the candidates about their plans to protect New York . We 've come too far and we 've sacrificed too much to leave ourselves vulnerable . ''
Ray Kelly : Candidates have n't met with him about plans for fighting terror in New York City . Bill de Blasio sought a counterterrorism briefing on August 29 , a spokesman says . Campaign site : Bill Thompson aims to protect roads , bridges and tunnels from terrorism . Christine Quinn has briefings `` regularly with the NYPD , '' her spokesman says .