New York State Police

File:Maj. Geo. F. Chandler.jpg, the first Superintendent of the New York State Police]]

Like most U.S. states, New York did not establish a state police force until the early twentieth century. In part this reflected the pattern of settlement across a wide frontier. A number of proposals to create such a force 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.{{cite book|last1=Van de Water|first1=Frederic Franklyn|title=Grey Riders: The Story of the New York State Troopers|url=https://archive.org/details/greyridersstory00wategoog|date=1922|publisher=Putnam's Sons}}

Following the 1913 murder of Sam Howell, a construction foreman in Westchester County, and failure of the local police to arrest suspects he had named before his death, the New York State Legislature passed a bill to establish a state police force. The New York State Police was officially established on April 11, 1917.

The division's first superintendent was George Fletcher Chandler, who was appointed by Governor Charles S. 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.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

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 (FIC) 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.[https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Introduction/History/1990s/], Troopers, NY

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.{{cite web |last1=Slattery |first1=Denis |title=Gov. Cuomo says New York State Police will absorb State Park Police Officers in union-backed move |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-new-york-state-troopers-police-park-enforcement-officers-unions-20191203-joqpz42j6nefnjeyqkk6g4nthm-story.html |website=nydailynews.com|date=3 December 2019 }} Cuomo resigned in August 2021, and by January 2022, New York officials announced that the two police forces would remain separate.{{Cite web |title=Officials: New York State park police, troopers to stay separate |url=https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/new-york-state-parks-police-troopers-u48866 |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Newsday |date=25 January 2022 |language=en}}

Since the establishment of the New York State Police, 140 troopers have died while on duty.[http://www.odmp.org/agency/2768-new-york-state-police-new-yorkOfficer Down Memorial Page]

File:New York State Police, Guilderland, New York.jpg]]

File:NY-SP Chevy Tahoe on MVA.jpg

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 site http://www.troopers.ny.gov/Contact_Us/Troop_Information/ NYSP Troops cover the following counties and regions as listed:

Each Troop encompasses 2–4 "Zones" which are referred to simply by a Zone number. There are up to several "sub-stations" located within each zone.

File:NYSP at St Pat Parade 2023 jeh.jpg

Trooper uniforms are made of grey wool, with the exception of the Gore-Tex jacket. Prior to 1958, uniforms (shirts, jackets and britches) were woven of equal parts white fiber and black fiber to symbolize the impartiality of justice.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} The NYSP do not wear a badge on their uniform shirts.{{cite book |last=Kidd |first=R. Spencer |date=2012 |title=Uniforms of the U.S. State Police & Highway Patrols |publisher=lulu.com |page=11 |isbn=978-1-4717-7729-5 |oclc=929822564}}{{self-published source|date=March 2020}}{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}}

• Glock 17 Gen 5 9mm

• Glock 21 Gen 4 .45 ACP (2018–2024)
• Glock 37 .45 GAP (2007–2018){{cite web |title=Glock 37 |url=https://troopers.ny.gov/glock-37 |website=New York State Police |language=en}}
• Glock 17 9mm (1990–2007){{cite web |title=Switch to Semi-Automatic Pistol |url=https://troopers.ny.gov/switch-semi-automatic-pistol |website=New York State Police |language=en}}
• Smith & Wesson Model 681 .357 Magnum
• Smith & Wesson Model 13 .357 Magnum
• Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 Special

The New York State Police is one of only five state police agencies in the United States that does not equip its state police vehicles with dashboard cameras. New York State Troopers, as of April 5, 2021, have been receiving body-worn cameras.{{cite web |date=23 July 2019 |title=N.Y. State Police lag behind agencies nationwide |url=https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2019/07/23/ny-state-police-lag-behind-agencies-nationwide/ |access-date=19 September 2019 |work=Sentinel and Enterprise |agency=Associated Press}}

File:StatePoliceHelicopter-nyc-2020.pngThe New York State Police has three Bell 407 single engine utility helicopters, six Bell 430 twin engine helicopters, three Bell UH-1 “HUEY 2” Single engine utility helicopters and one UH-1H “HUEY 1” Single engine utility helicopter. Their other aircraft are two Cessna 206 Stationair Single engine airplanes, one Cessna 172 Single engine airplane, one Partenavia 68 Twin engine observation airplane, one Sikorsky S-76 (used for transporting the governor), and two Beech King Air twin engine turboprop airplanes. All of these aircraft operate under the call sign “GrayRider”.{{cite web |title=Current Equipment |url=https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Specialized_Services/Aviation/Current_Equipment/ |website=New York State Police |access-date=15 February 2019}} In 2025, New York State Police put an order for a Airbus H160 and three Airbus H145{{Cite web |date=2025-03-12 |title=New York State Police orders Airbus H160 and three H145 helicopters {{!}} Airbus |url=https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-03-new-york-state-police-orders-airbus-h160-and-three-h145-helicopters |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=www.airbus.com |language=en}}

Since its establishment, a total of 162 officers and 2 K9s have died in the line of duty.{{Cite web |title=New York State Police, NY |url=https://www.odmp.org/agency/2768-new-york-state-police-new-york |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)}}

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• New York State Police Troop C scandal
• List of law enforcement agencies in New York
• New York State University Police
• State Police (United States)
• Highway Patrol

{{reflist|group=notes}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.troopers.ny.gov/ New York State Police website]
• [http://www.troopers.ny.gov/Introduction/History/ In-depth NYSP history]
• [https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Browse/Home/NewYork/NewYorkCodesRulesandRegulations?guid=Ia47e1a20b72a11ddba5e846354f3a78d&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default) New York State Police] in the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
• [http://www.nytrooper.com/ NYSP Recruitment Center website]
• [http://www.nystpba.org/ Union representing Troopers and Supervisors]
• [http://www.nyspia.org/ Union representing Investigators]
• {{NYTtopic|organizations/n/new_york_state_police}}

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Category:State law enforcement agencies of New York (state)

Category:1917 establishments in New York (state)

Category:Government agencies established in 1917