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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE04-26

May 21, 2004

Contact: Charles G. Sturcken (718) 595-6600

DEP Graduates 43 New Environmental Protection Police Officers

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will induct 43 officers from the third class of cadet graduates of the Department’s Environmental Police Academy. The graduation ceremony will take place on Friday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m. at the Ulster County Community College, Cottekill Road, Stone Ridge, New York. Today’s class brings the members in DEP’s environmental police force, including those previously serving, to over 200.

Commissioner Ward said, “We rely heavily on our DEP police force to protect our water supply that serves 9 million New Yorkers – nearly one-half the population of our State. Our cadets have gone through an intense and stringent training in environmental law enforcement and protection, and I want to thank our Academy staff --Captain Frank J. Milazzo and Assistant Police Chief Mark Benedetto – along with our Academy instructors who include watershed county police, New York State Forest Rangers, county sheriffs, DEP watershed staff and attorneys, members of DEP’s environmental police force and the Riverkeeper for their time and commitment. It gives me great pleasure to welcome the new members to our force and wish them well as future guardians of the safety of our water supply system.”

In 2003, DEP Police were called upon over 250 times to assist other police agencies in the City’s watershed. They responded to over 300 traffic accidents and aided in 97 incidents where medical assistance was necessary. This was in addition to investigating nearly 700 environmental complaints, while performing their main tasks of protecting the water supply relied upon by one-half of New York State. Additionally, the DEP Police also supplement the work of local police agencies in their day-to-day activities of community service and public protection.

DEP’s Environmental Police Academy, launched in 2002, was the first of its kind in the nation to provide training, experience and concentrated course work in advanced police tactics and use of state-of-the art equipment and environmental protection. Recruits undergo twenty weeks of intensive training in environmental law and police administration, which includes basic police training in laws of arrest, use of force, justification, firearms, defensive tactics, terrorism and police science. In addition, recruits must complete courses in environmental conservation law training in lands and forests, fish and wildlife, stream protection and fresh water wetlands.

DEP Police Chief Ed Welch will attend the ceremony and Lt. Brian Handy, Director of the DEP Environmental Police Academy, will preside. Refreshments will be served. Reporters are welcome to attend.

The Environmental Police Officer graduates are:

Gregory Allen
Rigoberto Arenas
Shamieka Barreto
Ian W. Beecher
Christopher Beltran
Salvatore Cerniglia
Kevin Collins
William C. Detlefs
Dilma Diaz
Edward J. Edwards
James M. Feldbauer
Antonio J. Fernandez
Astacia R. Francis
Randall Hurlbert
Ivor Jordan
James D. Kochon
Jillien Lawrence
Robert S. Lundy
Kenneth Macumber Jr.
Michael P. Marron
John Mattice
Benjamin P. Monell
Marc Muniz
Gianfranco Nuccio
John P. O’Sullivan
Frank Patch
Shaun A. Pile
Joanna T. Pryer
Wilfredo Ramos
Lynn Reed
Hector N. Reyes
Lisa Robinson
Joaquin Romaguera
Jason Rossi
Frankie Serrano
Gary R. Short
Annette Suarez
Marsha Thomas
John Toscano
Steven Whittick
Chatoyer Woodland
Hasan Uz Zaman
Aubrey Zephyr

 

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