NYS Senator Eric Adams Joins Majority Conference Colleagues to Reform the Position of State Police Superintendent

MEDIA ADVISORY

NYS Senator Eric Adams Joins Majority Conference Colleagues to Reform the Position of State Police Superintendent

NYS Senator Eric Adams and Colleagues to Remove Politics from Appointment Process and Job Performance of State Police Superintendent, Mandating Independence and Accountability

Legislation is designed to introduce sweeping reforms that will ensure the integrity of the Office of NYS Police Superintendent

NYS Senator Eric Adams states: “Today we announce legislation to reform the process through which the Superintendent of the State Police is nominated and confirmed and operates within his office.  This major overhaul will halt the intrusion of political chicanery by requiring greater transparency, accountability, and independence in the operations of the State Police.

“The Superintendent will be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to a single ten-year term. Only the full Legislature will have the authority to remove the Superintendent from his or her position, through a majority vote in both houses.  In the event the Superintendent resigns or is no longer able to perform his or her duties, the Governor will appoint an interim Superintend for a four-month period, followed by a permanent new Superintendent to serve the remainder of the incomplete term. 

“Further, the responsibilities of the Superintendent will be expanded to include the submission of annual reports to the Legislature detailing the inter- and intra-governmental activities of the State Police in the most recent fiscal year. These reports will be public documents and must include:
 
• Information detailing any special requests from the Executive or the Legislature for  services beyond traditional duties of the State Police;
• Information provided by the State police to the Governor or his/her staff or to the Legislature beyond traditional reporting requirements of the State Police, including the purpose for said information;
• Any special disciplinary action taken by the Superintendent regarding inter- or intra-  governmental affairs involving State Police personnel, based upon a special request made to the State Police by the Executive, the Legislature, or any other public or quasi-public entity;
• Requests for  information of any kind other than the traditional information provided by the State Police from any Executive branch, Legislative branch, public authority, or local government entity;
• The report must include a certification signed by both the Superintendent and the Administrator of the State Police Executive Service Unit attesting that the information provided is true to the best of his/her knowledge.  If such certification is found to be false fraudulent, the Superintendent may be subject to sanctions and penalties deemed appropriate by the Legislature.
 
“The Superintendent also will be required to testify before the Legislature at public hearings on a biennial basis to review the personnel and administrative activities of the State Police along with future plans and initiatives of the agency.
 
“The legislation also requires a two-year rotation of every civilian and sworn officer assigned to the State Police Executive Service Unit.

 “The role of the New York State Police must be free from the influence of politics.  The State Police cannot ‘serve, protect and defend the people’ if the integrity of its decisions is hamstrung by political concerns.  This legislation will reform the way in which the Superintendent of the State Police is appointed and revise his duties.  It will guarantee the independence of the State Police and ensure that its focus on law enforcement and crime prevention remains undiluted by any outside pressure, interference, or manipulation.”

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