Honor State Police Centennial

Senate Resolution No. 586 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of the New York State Police Department WHEREAS, The quality of life in New York State is largely reflective of the commitment and dedication demonstrated by members of the agencies which serve to protect, preserve and maintain public order; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and honor those distinguished citizens who devote their life's work and purpose to public service, contributing to the care and welfare of the citizens of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the New York State Police Department, to be recognized with a Centennial Kick Off Celebration on Tuesday, April 11, 2017; and WHEREAS, In 1913, a construction foreman was murdered in a robbery in Westchester County; with no local police department at the time, the man's murderers escaped, even though he identified them before he died; and WHEREAS, The man's employer, Moyca Newell, and her friend, Katherine Mayo, started a movement to form a State Police department to provide police protection to all of the state's rural areas; and WHEREAS, As the result of their efforts, the State Legislature passed legislation on April 11, 1917, that established the New York State Police (NYSP) as a full-service agency; and WHEREAS, Since the first 232 men rode out of the New York State Fair on horseback to begin patrolling New York's rural areas, Troopers have been there to fulfill the law enforcement needs of the people of the State of New York with the highest degree of fairness, professionalism, and integrity; and WHEREAS, The department's first superintendent was George Fletcher Chandler, who was responsible for much of the organization's early development; he coined the term "New York State Troopers" and was an early advocate of officers carrying their weapons exposed on a belt, which was not a common practice at the time; and WHEREAS, As the original basic role states, it shall be the duty of the State Police to prevent and detect crime and apprehend criminals; they shall also be subject to the call of the governor and empowered to cooperate with any other department of the State or with local authorities; and WHEREAS, The NYSP divides New York State geographically into 11 Troops, each comprising a specific geographic area and each supervised by a Troop Commander; and WHEREAS, Since its inception, the New York State Police Department has grown to employ more than 4,900 sworn state troopers; and WHEREAS, Over its distinguished 100 year history, the New York State Police Department has demonstrated continuous service to the residents and communities which it serves; and WHEREAS, The tradition of altruistic public service, heroism and leadership embodied by the New York State Police Department is of such magnitude as to be worthy of special, statewide recognition; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the New York State Police Department; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the New York State Police Department.