Gov. Hochul and our partners in the state legislature delivered meaningful progress this session on several priorities that are critical to the well-being, recruitment and retention of New York State Troopers.
Most significantly, policymakers prioritized troopers’ mental health, recognizing the critical importance of looking after those who put their lives on the line for communities across New York every day.
The first-of-its-kind critical incident leave policy for the State Police, included in the final state budget, will provide troopers with the time they need to recover from incidents involving the deadly use of force without fear of stigma or economic hardship. This long-overdue policy strengthens support for the dedicated men and women who selflessly put the people they serve ahead of themselves to keep our communities safe.
In addition, long-awaited fixes to Tier 6 are necessary reforms to New York’s retirement system that better reflect the value our state places on public service. These changes will strengthen efforts to recruit and retain dedicated public servants.
We hope to see the governor’s signature on legislation that passed both houses to establish a statewide tattoo policy for troopers. This important policy will codify in statute an end to restrictive anti-tattoo policies that served as a barrier to recruiting well-qualified candidates—particularly military Veterans—whose body art has no bearing on their ability and commitment to serve and protect New Yorkers.
We look forward to continuing our work alongside Gov. Hochul and our partners in the state legislature to advance the interests of our members, strengthen public safety, and ensure New Yorkers receive the highest level of service from the State Police.”
Charles W. Murphy
President, New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association
Albany, NY
Keywords
New York State Troopers,
Police Benevolent Association,
Gov. Hochul