The academy’s first class of DEP officers
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.
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.
