DEP officers, who will be trained
at the police academy
KINGSTON – The Big Apple’s fresh water cops just found a
new home in Kingston.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which runs the
city’s vast system of upstate reservoirs, officially dedicated its
new Police Academy on Flatbush Avenue, in a ceremony Thursday.
The 16,658-square foot building was the former site of the old Army Reserve
Center, which relocated to Saugerties in 2011. DEP acquired the property
free of charge from the federal government after a two-year application
and vetting process for surplus assets.
The DEP Police has about 200 members, and trains 30 new recruits every
year in a rigorous program spanning 1,275 hours over seven months. Topics
include ordinary police training, plus counter-terrorism, defense tactics,
and environmental material tailored for protecting a large public water
supply.
“The job is absolutely unique,” said DEP Commissioner Emily
Lloyd. “Securing the water supply requires a highly trained force
of professional officers, especially as environmental and criminal threats
become more complex,” she said.
After graduation, the DEP police officers patrol over 2,000 square miles
of watershed, spanning eight counties, utilizing foot, bicycle, ATV, boat,
motorcycle and helicopter.
Deputy Commissioner Kevin McBride noted that previously, DEP police instruction
took place in a small conference room at the nearby Smith Avenue Laboratory,
with physical training out in the parking lot. That vacated space will
now be occupied by more DEP environmental engineers.
The facility has been dedicated to the late Staff Sgt. Robert H. Dietz,
a local WWII hero who gave his life capturing the German town of Kirchhain,
earning the Medal of Honor.
Kingston Mayor Shayne Gallo indicated that the property has been returned
to the tax rolls and thanked the DEP for their positive economic impact
on the community.
