| New York State Police | |
|---|---|
 Patch | |
 Seal | |
 Shield of New York State Police | |
 Flag of the State of New York | |
| Common name | New York State Troopers |
| Abbreviation | NYSP |
| Motto | Excellence Through Knowledge |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | April 11, 1917; 108 years ago (1917-04-11) |
| Employees | 5,711 (as of 2018)[1] |
| Annual budget | $926,123,000 (2018) |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | New York, U.S. |
 | |
| Troops of the New York State Police | |
| Size | 54,556 sq mi (141,300 km2) |
| Population | 19.4 million |
| Legal jurisdiction | State of New York |
| Governing body | New York State Executive Department |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Building 22W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus Albany, New York, United States |
| Troopers |  5,110 (2025)[2] |
| Non-sworn members | 711 |
| Agency executive |
|
| Facilities | |
| Troops | 11 |
| Website | |
| Official Site | |
TheNew York State Police (NYSP) is thestate police of theU.S. state ofNew York; it is part of theNew 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.
A number of proposals to create a state police force occurred during the early 1900s, but faced considerable opposition fromtrade union interests. They feared the police would be used against union organizing, as was happening in several other states, particularly with theCoal and Iron Police in Pennsylvania.[3]
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.[4][5]
In March 1917, theNew York State Legislature passed a bill to establish a state police force and appropriated $500,000 in funding.[6] The bill was signed into law on April 11, 1917 by New York GovernorCharles Seymour Whitman.[6]
The division's first superintendent wasGeorge 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.[citation needed]
In 1920, the New York State Troopers had a conviction rate of 94.6 percent.[7]
On January 1, 1980, theLong 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 acceptedDNA 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.[8]
In December 2019, GovernorAndrew 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.[9] Cuomo resigned in August 2021, and by January 2022, New York officials announced that the two police forces would remain separate.[10]
From its establishment in 1917 until 2024, a total of 162 officers and 2 K9s have died in the line of duty.[11]
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.[12] NYSP Troops cover the following counties and regions as listed:
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.
| Insignia | Rank |
|---|---|
 | Superintendent |
 | First Deputy Superintendent |
 | Colonel (Deputy Superintendent) |
 | Lieutenant Colonel (Assistant Deputy Superintendent) |
 | Staff Inspector |
 | Major |
 | Captain |
 | Lieutenant |
 | Technical Lieutenant |
 | Chief Technical Sergeant |
 | Staff Sergeant |
 | First Sergeant |
| No Insignia | Senior Investigator (Plain Clothes) |
 | Zone Sergeant |
 | Sergeant Station Commander |
 | Technical Sergeant |
 | Sergeant |
| No Insignia | Investigator (Plain Clothes) |
| Trooper |
Trooper uniforms are made of grey wool, with the exception of theGore-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] The NYSP do not wear a badge on their uniform shirts.[14]
| Name | Type | Caliber | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glock 47 | Pistol | 9mm |  Austria | Equipped with Aimpoint Acro P2 & Streamlight TLR-7 HL-X weapon-mounted light. |
| Remington 870 | Shotgun | 12 Gauge |  United States | Standard Issue |
The New York State Police has threeBell 407 single engine utility helicopters, sixBell 430 twin engine helicopters, threeBell UH-1 “HUEY 2” Single engine utility helicopters and oneUH-1H “HUEY 1” Single engine utility helicopter. Their other aircraft are twoCessna 206 Stationair Single engine airplanes, oneCessna 172 Single engine airplane, onePartenavia 68 Twin engine observation airplane, oneSikorsky S-76 (used for transporting the governor), and twoBeech King Air twin engine turboprop airplanes. All of these aircraft operate under the call sign “GrayRider”.[17] In 2025, New York State Police placed an order for oneAirbus H160 and threeAirbus H145 helicopters, in addition to two Airbus H145 helicopters ordered in 2024.[18]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
