A couple of days before a certain round celestial body passed in front of another certain round celestial body, the New York State Park Police added a nice “round” number – 20 new graduates – to its ranks. Some of these new officers were put right to work – sent to the path of eclipse totality to help with an influx of visitation. Nearly one million people visited New York’s state parks and historic sites between April 6 and 9 to witness the eclipse.
After the eclipse, the new officers will spend the next couple of months in field training. They are assigned regionally to learn and prepare to serve State Parks’ 250 properties. Last year, our agency saw record attendance of 84 million, so the need for personnel has not slowed. The new officers will receive supervised training from senior officers, followed by assignment to patrol responsibilities.
They spent 27 weeks in intense training – testing body, brains, brawn, boldness – at the 18th Basic School of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Police Academy. Graduation took place Friday, April 5, at the Hall of Springs at Saratoga Spa State Park.
“Their dedication will help keep a safe and welcoming environment for the millions of visitors who join us each year,” said New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “As we celebrate our system’s Centennial, we want to let our patrons know of the support from Gov. Hochul, the legislature, and our law enforcement leadership that help keep parks and sites safe.”
Most visitors come to our parks and historic sites to relax and enjoy themselves, have fun and get away from it all. It’s the training and character of this team that has prepared the officers for the challenging and rewarding job that make our parks and the park experience – 360,000 acres of irreplaceable natural and historic assets – the very best.
“I look forward to the next step in learning from our dedicated team at the New York State Park Police,” said State Parks Assistant Director of Park Police Col. Michael Daddona. “Their training prepares them for a challenging and rewarding career – from law enforcement, investigations and extreme weather – on New York State’s forests, waterways and trails.”
Benedict Reitzel of Bay Shore, NY, was particularly impressive this session, earning two of four special academy recognition awards: Academic Achievement and Physical Fitness. Other award winners were Bailey Faldetta of Lagrangeville, NY, with Marksmanship and Ryan Lee of Massapequa, NY, with the Leadership Award.
Training for recruits consists of classroom education in criminal procedure law, penal law, vehicle and traffic law, park and recreation law, criminal investigations and a host of other police-related topics. In addition, the recruits received hands-on training in firearms, first response, snowmobile operation, ATV operation, and emergency vehicle operation.
This new class comes in as several experienced Park Police officers have retired, including Major Clyde Doty, the Western District Commander, and Lt. Anitra Ivey, Zone Commander from the New York City Region.
Doty was given a walk-out ceremony complete with bagpipes on February 23 for 33 years of police service. It was the end of an era in Niagara Falls.
And, after a distinguished career, Ivey was given a send-off with “lots of laughs, dancing and some poignant well-wishes,” according to Regional Director Leslie Wright.
Ivey began her New York State Park Police career in 2000 as a police officer trainee and earned the rank of sergeant in 2008 and lieutenant in 2016. She had a brief stint in the Long Island Region before moving to NYC. Back in February, the now Zone Commander was honored by NYSPP from both NYC and the larger Hudson Valley District. She was the first Black woman in Park Police history to be promoted to a command position.
Her message to those she served with, and presumably to those entering the field: “No dreams are out of reach. Keep reaching for the stars until you touch them, I did…Be kind, be respectful and treat people the way you would want to be treated, and you will have a great career with the NYSPP.”
Sounds like words to live by.
Names, hometowns, and regional assignments of the graduates are listed below:
| Name (Hometown) | Post Field Training Assignment District / Zone |
| Officer John O’Connor (Plainview) | Western/Niagara |
| Officer Nicolas Pacanowski (Lancaster) | Western/Niagara |
| Officer William Girzone (East Amherst) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Keith Swartz (Fillmore) | Western/Allegany |
| Officer Tyler Erickson (Hamburg) | Western/Allegany |
| Officer Jarod Ruffle (Rochester) | Mid-State/Finger Lakes |
| Officer Lawrence Kroon (Van Hornesville) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
| Officer Lauren Keenan (Glens Falls) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
| Officer Kyle Ogden (Queensbury) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
| Officer Kyle Foss (Monticello) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
| Officer Johan Worum (Tomkins Cove) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
| Officer Dimitirios Christodoulou (Mohegan Lake) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
| Officer Bailey Faldetta (Lagrangeville) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Racquel Casano (Garden City South) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Brian Durcan (Nesconset) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Ryan Lee (Massapequa) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Brandon Musallam (West Hempstead) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Michael Olsen (Patchogue) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Michael Simmons (Merrick) | Hudson Valley/New York City |
| Officer Benedict Reitzel (Bay Shore) | Hudson Valley/Palisades |
-Written by John Craig, Public Affairs Digital Specialist
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 
Congratulations to what is already a stellar class of new officers. I look forward to meeting many of you in person, and to thanking you for your committment to a most unique (and IMHO the best) gift the public has ever given itself, our parks. And may Mr. Reitzel, Faldetta, and Lee enjoy their early laurels, upon which they should never rest. The Roosevelt Cup will prove that…