By Joanna Putman
Police1
ALBANY, N.Y. — Leaders of labor unions representing New York state troopers and investigators have expressed concerns about the State Police’s hiring standards following an incident last month where a recruit allegedly attacked a trooper and attempted to grab his handgun, the Times Union reported.
On July 23, State Police arrested a 22-year-old recruit, charging him with felony counts of assault and attempted robbery, according to the report. The recruit, who reportedly exhibited erratic behavior during his time at the academy, was subdued and arrested after lunging at a trooper and attempting to remove his holstered firearm.
Governor Kathy Hochul has expanded recruitment efforts, including increasing the number of academy classes and changing age requirements for recruits to attract more diverse candidates, according to the report. However, some union leaders argue that these measures may have led to a decline in hiring standards.
The Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers, which represents active and retired uniformed troopers and supervisors, sent a letter to Superintendent Steven G. James raising concerns about potential changes in recruitment and hiring standards, according to the report. Trooper Charles W. Murphy, president of the association, highlighted worries that relaxed standards might allow unqualified candidates to join the force.
“Since this incident occurred, PBA members have raised questions about whether recent changes to recruitment and hiring standards may have allowed a clearly unqualified candidate to slip through the screening process, ultimately putting his instructor, his fellow recruits, and potentially even members of the public, in harm’s way,” Murphy wrote.
James stated that the standards to become a New York state trooper remain rigorous and affirmed the department’s commitment to finding the best candidates, according to the report.
“I share the intense concern regarding the incident at the Cazenovia Academy and I want to assure our members and the public that we are scrutinizing the events that led up to that incident so we can fully understand what happened,” James stated.