New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police of the U.S. state of New York; it is part of the New York State Executive Department and employs over 5,000 sworn state troopers and 711 non-sworn members.
The New York State Police are responsible for patrolling state highways, rural communities, and providing law enforcement services across the state.
History
Establishment
A number of proposals to create a state police force occurred during the early 1900s, but faced considerable opposition from trade union interests. They feared the police would be used against union organizing, as was happening in several other states, particularly with the Coal and Iron Police in Pennsylvania.The New York State Police was established following the 1913 murder of Sam Howell, a construction foreman in Bedford, Westchester County, and failure of the local police to arrest suspects he had named before his death.
In March 1917, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to establish a state police force and appropriated $500,000 in funding. The bill was signed into law on April 11, 1917 by New York Governor Charles Seymour Whitman.
20th century
The division's first superintendent was George Fletcher Chandler, who was appointed by Governor Whitman. Chandler is credited with much of the division's early organization and development. Chandler coined the term "New York State Troopers." He was an early advocate of officers carrying their weapons exposed on a belt, which was not common practice at the time.In 1920, the New York State Troopers had a conviction rate of 94.6 percent.
On January 1, 1980, the Long Island State Parkway Police merged with the state police; this resulted in the official establishment of Troop L. In October 1997, the New York State Capital Police was consolidated and absorbed into the state police.
Since February 1994, the agency has accepted DNA evidence for forensic investigation and analysis. The New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center opened in November 1996. The Crime Laboratory performs DNA analysis for state investigations and for local law enforcement. It includes a new DNA Data Bank Section that compiles DNA records from violent felons sentenced to prison in New York State. These records can be searched and compared by computer to other evidence collected in unsolved crimes.
21st century
In December 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the New York State Park Police was to be merged with the New York State Police. The merger was expected to take about six months. Cuomo resigned in August 2021, and by January 2022, New York officials announced that the two police forces would remain separate.From its establishment in 1917 until 2024, a total of 162 officers and 2 K9s have died in the line of duty.
Structure and organization
The NYSP divides New York state geographically into eleven "Troops," each comprising a specific geographic area, usually several counties. Each is supervised by a "Troop Commander" usually of the rank of Major. NYSP Troops cover the following counties and regions as listed:| Troop | Region Covered | Counties Covered |
| A | Buffalo Niagara Region Eastern Great Lakes Region Finger Lakes Genesee Valley Western New York Western Southern Tier | Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming' |
| B | Adirondack Mountains Champlain Valley North Country Thousand Islands | Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Upper Hamilton, St. Lawrence |
| C | Catskill Mountains Central New York Region Eastern Southern Tier Finger Lakes Mohawk Valley region Penn-York Valley | Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins |
| D | Central New York Mohawk Valley region North Country Tug Hill | Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego |
| E | Central Southern Tier Eastern Great Lakes Region Finger Lakes Genesee Valley Western New York | Cayuga, Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Yates |
| F | Catskill Mountains Hudson Valley and Highlands New York metropolitan area | Greene, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster |
| G | Adirondack Mountains Capital District | Albany, Fulton, Lower Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, Washington |
| K | Hudson Valley and Highlands New York metropolitan area | Columbia, Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester |
| L | Long Island New York metropolitan area | Nassau, Suffolk |
| M | Long Island New York City New York metropolitan area | New York City, New York, Richmond |
| T | Capital District Catskills Central New York Finger Lakes Hudson Valley New York metropolitan area Western New York | New York State Thruway, |
Each Troop encompasses 4 "Zones" which are referred to simply by a Zone number. There are up to several "sub-stations" located within each zone.
Ranks
Uniforms
Trooper uniforms are made of grey wool, with the exception of the Gore-Tex jacket. Prior to 1958, uniforms were woven of equal parts white fiber and black fiber to symbolize the impartiality of justice. The NYSP do not wear a badge on their uniform shirts.Equipment
Current equipment
Previously issued equipment
- Glock 21 Gen 4.45 ACP
- Glock 37.45 GAP
- Glock 17 9mm
- Smith & Wesson Model 681.357 Magnum
- Smith & Wesson Model 13.357 Magnum
- Smith & Wesson Model 10.38 Special
Aviation