Press Release
June 05, 2007
For Release: Immediate
Press Contact:
Eileen Larrabee
Catherine Jimenez
518.486.1868
State Parks Welcomes 27 New Police Academy Graduates
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash and Director of Law Enforcement, Chief James Warwick today announced the graduates of the 8th session of the New York State Park Police Academy. The graduation ceremony was held on June 2, 2007, at the SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica.
"New York State Park Police are highly trained professionals that ensure the proper use of our state parks and historic sites and provide assistance and protection to the millions of visitors to our properties each year," said Ash. "We are proud to welcome this graduating class to State Parks as they begin their careers in law enforcement"
Ash stressed that park police not only provide security at our facilities, they are also the face of State Parks, providing professional, friendly assistance to our visitors.
Twenty-seven recruits from across the state graduated after the completion of a six-month initial phase of training to become park police officers. Recruits began training in early December, 2006. The recruits received hands on training in firearms, snowmobile operations, basic boat operation, rope rescue and emergency vehicle operation. The diverse training consisted of classroom education in areas such as Parks and Recreation Law, Criminal Procedure Law, Penal Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, and criminal investigations.
The new officers will begin a ten week Field Training Program where they will receive supervised training from a senior officer. These new officers will be assigned to patrol responsibilities.
The New York State Parks system includes 178 parks, 35 historic sites, 27 golf courses, 76 beaches and more than 9,000 campsites and cabins that welcome more than 55 million visitors annually.
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Editor's Note: attached is a list of park police graduates and the towns and counties from which they hail:
Agostinoni, Warren - Cairo, Greene County
Bell, Justin - Hudson, Columbia County
Biegasiewicz, Simon - Batavia, Genesee County
Borkenhagen, Darrell - Ransomville, Niagara County
Caughel, Timothy - Orchard Park, Niagara County
Cortright, David - Clayton, Jefferson County
Daurio, Kris - Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County
DeRue, Brett - Palmyra, Wayne County
Doughty, Steven - Hyde Park, Dutchess County
Girard, Kyle - Schenectady, Schenectady County
Greene, Douglas - Lewiston, Niagara County
Grizzanti, James - Rochester, Monroe County
Hicks, Timothy - Clinton Corners, Dutchess County
Horst, Brian - Lancaster, Erie County
Jones, Todd - Springville, Erie County
Karavas, Dean - Greenport, Suffolk County
Lawton, Jonathan - Montauk Falls, Schuyler County
Luke, Jonathan - Lake George, Warren County
Mennonna, Robert - Center Moriches, Suffolk County
Mioglionico, Daniel - Fallsburg, Sullivan County
Romanowski, Kimberly - Depew, Allegany County
Ruddick, Matthew - Sayville, Suffolk County
Rynders, Erik - Williamson, Genesee County
Seresky, James - Cobleskill, Schoharie County
Southcott, David - Watertown, Jefferson County
Szymanek, Raven - Williamsville, Erie County
Willis, Gary - Tonawanda, Erie County