DEC Announces Graduation of 28 New York State Environmental Conservation Police Officers
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced 28 new graduates from the 25th Basic School for Environmental Conservation Police Officers. As part of the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement, the Officers will work in communities statewide to preserve environmental quality and protect fish and wildlife across New York. The ceremony, held at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, celebrated graduates who completed six months of extensive law enforcement and natural resources training in the classroom and in the field.
"Our newest ECO class should be proud of completing this intensive and specialized training program to join one of the most dedicated police forces in the state,” Commissioner Lefton said. “I am honored to welcome our new officers to DEC to stop polluters, poachers, and other environmental crimes, while also connecting and engaging with the residents they serve to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more resilient New York."
For the last six months, Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) recruits completed more than 1,000 hours of training at DEC’s Academy in Pulaski, Oswego County, which has served as the home of these trainings for several years.
While the first weeks focused primarily on police skills, such as physical training, drill and ceremony, and computer lessons, recruits also delved into intensive instruction, including firearms training, emergency vehicle operation, chemical waste dumping, and poacher identification, among other skills.
DEC Division of Law Enforcement Director, Karen Przyklek said, "I am confident that these new Officers have emerged from six months of rigorous training prepared to face a diverse workload of cases, in both general law enforcement and environmental law. Each day, our Officers field complaints and respond to calls where they enforce clean air and water regulations, support fish and wildlife laws, and protect New Yorkers from pollution. I'm eager for our new Officers to hit the ground running and continue the rich tradition of environmental protection that is a cornerstone of DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement."
The Environmental Conservation Police Officer title, in the various forms of its evolution over the decades, is the oldest statewide enforcement job in New York State. Originally, Game Protectors were first appointed for service in 1880 and the proud history of the Division continues more than 140 years later.
Last year alone, ECOs and Investigators responded to more than 26,000 calls and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 11,600 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the black-market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.
Upon graduation, recruits will be assigned patrol areas in one of nine DEC regions.
Below is the list of graduates from DEC’s 25th Basic School for ECOs:
Suzanne Barzyz, Rockaway Park
Martin Byrnes, Southold
John Cobb, Ellisburg
Michael Collis, North Babylon
Tyler Crandall, Verona
Nathan Crego, Martville
Jeffrey Cubino, Marcy
Matthew Dean, Hampton Bays
Michael Flanagan, Wantagh
Cole Gavin, Mantagh
Eric Gessner, Mifflinburg, PA
Kevin Henry, East Setauket
Matthew Hulsen, Holbrook
Nicholas Malone, Claryville
Caroline Matuck, Paul Smiths
Alexandre Meirhaeghe, Massapequa Park
Matthew Nunziato, Niskayuna
Steven Popp, Keene
Nocholas Protan, Merrick
Shawn Sanner, Rock Tavern
Kai Schedel, Brockport
Peyton Schmitt, Harrisville
Bret Shaffer, Cuba
Perry Troisi, Goshen
Michael Trupiano, Kings Park
Aiden Watson, Levittown
Ramiro Zapata, Smithtown
Gary Zinzow, Cohoes
To learn more about ECOs, visit DEC’s website.
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