White Paper - New York State Office for the Aging

DIVISION OF STATE POLICE
I. INTRODUCTION: INTERNAL SCAN
Agency Description and Mission
The New York State Police is the state’s principal police agency, and is regarded
as one of the most accomplished law enforcement organizations in the nation. With more
than 4,000 sworn employees and over 1000 civilian support staff, the New York State
Police is one of the largest state police agencies in the country. Its mission is to serve,
protect and defend the people while preserving the rights and dignity of all.
Fundamentally, the New York State Police serves to promote highway safety and
protect our citizens from crime. Its members are responsible for responding to
complaints and patrolling the roads and highways outside major urban centers, and
providing specialty and investigative police services throughout the State. The work of
the State Police ranges from the traditional patrol duties to that of specially trained
investigators who conduct sophisticated operations against drug traffickers and other
criminals.
The New York State Police is divided into two principal branches, the Uniformed
Force and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Each of these branches fulfills specific
law enforcement needs and provides assistance to federal, county, and local law
enforcement agencies.
The Uniformed Force has two primary responsibilities: to protect life and
property; and promote highway safety. In many areas of the state, Uniformed Troopers
are the primary law enforcement officers. Troopers respond to all types of calls including
burglaries, missing children, assaults, robberies, and homicides. In practically all reports
of misdemeanor level crimes, a State Trooper conducts the entire investigation, which
includes working with the District Attorney’s Office during the prosecution phase. In
addition, State Troopers enforce the Vehicle and Traffic Laws, and in many of the town
courts in New York State, will act on behalf of the District Attorney’s Office to prosecute
the case. For felony crimes, Troopers conduct the preliminary investigation, and have the
opportunity to develop suspects and solve the case, while working closely with
Investigators assigned to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is the plain-clothes investigative
branch of the New York State Police. BCI Investigators concentrate on felony crimes
and cases related to narcotics, child abuse, auto theft, consumer product tampering,
organized crime, computer crimes, bias related crimes, and violent and serial crimes. In
addition to conducting criminal investigations, Investigators regularly assist local and
county law enforcement agencies that may lack the resources or expertise necessary for
conducting major crime investigations.
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