Latest news with #StevenJames
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
NYSP announces Memorial Day weekend driving crackdown
NEW YORK STATE (WWTI) – The Memorial Day holiday weekend means law enforcement will be out if full force. The New York State Police, in conjunction with local and county law enforcement, will increase patrols to combat drunk, impaired, and reckless driving throughout Memorial Day weekend. The special enforcement period begins Friday, May 23 through Monday, May 26. These extra patrols are funded through grants from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee. Memorial Day travel expected to break 20-year record This Memorial Day weekend marks one of the busiest travel holidays of the year. Police will be out in force to remove impaired and reckless drivers from the state's roadways and ensure safe travel for all. For many New Yorkers, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer travel season, which means additional traffic and increased risks on our roadways. As we take time to honor those who died in service to our country, we encourage all motorists to make safety their number one priority. Drive sober, put down your smartphone, and slow down and move over if you see emergency vehicles or highway workers on the side of the road. Troopers will remain vigilant in keeping the roadways safe throughout the holiday weekend. New York State Police Superintendent Steven James Motorists should expect sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols by multiple local law enforcement agencies. Troopers will use both marked vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles to identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once their lights are activated, allowing Troopers to more effectively observe violations. During last Memorial Day weekend, troopers arrested 225 people for impaired driving, issued 10,949 tickets, and investigated 239 crashes. No fatalities were reported. This initiative is partially funded by the GTSC. The GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind motorists that the 'Have a Plan' mobile app is available for Apple, Android, and Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi, program a list of designated drivers, access information on DWI laws and penalties, and even report a suspected impaired driver. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
176 new Troopers graduate from NYS Police School
ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — There are 176 new New York State Troopers upholding the law across the state after they graduated from the State Police Basic School on Thursday. Governor Kathy Hochul was on hand at the Empire State Plaza on Thursday, February 6 — along with New York State Police Superintendent Steven James — to congratulate the newest crop of state troopers. This is the 216th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The graduation increases the ranks of the New York State Police to just over 5,000 members. 'Today's graduation is the culmination of six months of difficult classwork, physical training, and sacrifice, and we now welcome our newest members to one of the most prestigious and well-respected law enforcement agencies in the nation,' Superintendent James said in a statement. I am confident they are equipped to carry out our mission to serve our communities with the same professionalism and pride the State Police have exhibited for the past 107 years.' The following are local graduates of the 217th Class of the Academy: Trooper Mitchell Arndt of Mohawk, Trooper Nedim Bektic of Utica, Trooper Mason Burns of Rome, Trooper Joseph Diana of Holland Patent, Trooper Christina Heegan of Oneonta, Trooper Mohamad Ayyas Mustafa Kamal of Utica, Trooper Abigail Nell of Verona, Trooper Joshua Page of Verona, Trooper Kevin Parkhurst of Ilion, Trooper Nathaniel Rath of Newport, Trooper Ryan Smoulcey of Rome, Trooper Brendan Svitak of Marcy, Trooper Tanner Vogel of Ilion, Trooper Tanner Young of Camden, and Trooper Julia Yudchits of Herkimer. According to the Governor's office, troop assignments are pending. All 176 troopers will report for field duty on either Friday, February 7, or Monday, February 10, depending on which platoon they are assigned to. From there, they will be evaluated for the next 10 weeks under a field training program. 'I commend these 176 new troopers for dedicating themselves to public service, and their commitment to protecting the people of New York State,' Governor Hochul said in a statement. 'The members of the New York State Police put their lives on the line each day to keep the rest of us safe — in a world where their mission has grown more challenging and complex. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want to thank the graduates for their hard work and perseverance — and welcome them to the long gray line.' The New York State Police have said that this class of Troopers will be the last to graduate from the academy at the former Cazenovia College. All prospective candidates for the New York State Police Academy will now attend at the main branch in Albany. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
