It happened on January 3, 2025. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation achieved something never done before – two graduations in less than one calendar year and the first summertime academy session. The agency continues the rebuild of one of the oldest police forces in the state, and are proud to welcome four new officers whose career paths began in other roles in the agency.
On that first Friday of the new year, our Park Police welcomed 29 new graduates from the 19th Basic School at the State Parks Police Academy in Rensselaerville. For the past two decades, there has been a renewed commitment by New York State to build up the OPRHP department as visitors continue to flock to our parks and sites and break attendance records.
During a graduation ceremony, you learn a little more about what the academy does to – and expects of – “a newbie.” The inside scoop comes from the graduates themselves in the form of a NYSPP-produced video shown at the end of the hourlong ceremony. The video reveals the breaking down and building up of our new officers. Additionally, in his prepared remarks, class speaker Nicholas Fusco, who earned both the Physical Fitness and Leadership awards, offered some memories from the academy experience that led to that day. He recalled his class showing up the first day, June 23, 2024, holding everything they would bring in their left hand, undergoing surprise vehicle inspections, having no communication with the outside world during the weeks they were in the Albany County hilltown, and enduring “seemingly random rules” that later “began to make sense.”
Fusco, from Smithtown, NY, stressed how his class needed stamina, attention to detail and the skills to compete and succeed. In the end, along with his new brothers and sisters, he says they are “stronger, wiser and more determined” in their chosen career.
“You are graduating from one of the oldest and toughest and best training programs in all the country,” OPRHP Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said in his remarks. “And State Parks and the Park Police have a track record for trailblazing for New York State. We are called upon in all situations and scenarios to lead and assist New York State.”
The class also achieved Governor Hochul’s 30X30 Pledge to increase the percentage of female recruits to 30 percent by 2030. This class is at 34 percent – 10 female and 19 male. The Pledge is a series of actions policing agencies are taking to improve representation and experiences of women in law enforcement. The class is also the most diverse class in Park Police history.
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, emergency vehicle operation and a wide variety of other law enforcement related topics. On Monday, January 6, 2025, the new officers began a 10-week field training program where they receive supervised training from senior officers in assigned regions.
Four From The Field
Among the new graduates are four who have already worked at State Parks. However, the academy’s six months was far more grueling than their entire combined time from 2021-2024. Three were Park Rangers at Long Island parks – Daria Black at Caumsett (‘23-’24), Aleah Gonzalez at Heckscher (’23-’24) and Robert Gitto at Jones Beach (’24) – while Daniel Aldrich served as Assistant Head Patrol at his hometown park of Lake Welch (’21-’24) in the Palisades Region.
As Gonzalez put it, surviving the Academy is about staying focused and believing in yourself. “Your mind is a powerful thing. Anything you put your mind to, you can achieve it,” she said.
A Cross Country Odyssey For Black
Daria Black grew up in Washington State, surrounded by nature and visiting state and national parks. After graduating high school in 2017, she moved clear across the country to study at New York University. She now lives in New Hyde Park with her husband.
“When I moved to New York, I quickly learned of the vast State Park system and enjoyed visiting [parks],” she said. “It was my husband who one day saw an ad for the Park Ranger program and suggested that I apply.” From the Park Ranger program, she took that background and applied to the Park Police. At the end of the grueling Academy, she earned her shield and the Academic Achievement Award in her class.
Daria was a Park Ranger at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve and transitioned to becoming a Park and Recreation Aide after the summer season concluded. Late one night, just before clocking out, she was coming back to the office on a UTV with a coworker. About a mile away, they were flagged down by a group of young people. “One of the females was overly intoxicated and initially unresponsive,” she recalled. Daria used her Park Ranger training to calmly assess the situation, check the female’s vital signs, make clear radio transmissions and get EMS to the spot.
“I loved working for my park and helping with events at other parks so much that I knew that I wanted to make working for New York State Parks a career. A co-worker of mine, Dan O’Neill, suggested that I apply for the Park Police and was one of the most supportive people through my process. The experience and connections that I made during my time with Parks definitely gave me a solid foundation of knowledge which helped me during the Academy scenarios and will continue to help me as I act as an Officer for the New York State Park Police.”
Summer Sessions With Aldrich
Another officer drawn early to State Parks is Daniel Aldrich of Airmont. He found himself in a park on weekends and on his days off so when he saw a job listing, he jumped at the opportunity and was in the park from 2021-24.
“Growing up, I always loved being outside and walking around in the woods,” Aldrich said. He first worked as a campground staffer at Beaver Pond Campground connected to Lake Welch and transitioned into Park Patrol by the next summer (2022). By the summer of 2023, he was promoted to Assistant Head Patrol.
“I spent four seasons working at Lake Welch, working with my community and helping patrons in the park,” Aldrich said. “I met so many interesting people, including both coworkers and patrons. When Park Police posted signs in the park notifying that they were hiring, I signed up for the test and got called into the Academy the next year.”
Park Patrol is similar to Park Rangers, handling rule enforcement, patron assistance, first response to emergency calls, along with many other things that the facility needed to be accomplished.
“With more experience at the park than any other Patrol, I was able to answer many questions the staff had and provide clear and concise leadership,” Aldrich explained. “I had some of the most fun I’ve ever had while working at Lake Welch Beach. My coworkers and the patrons I interacted with were extremely interesting and left a huge impact on my life.”
A Dream For Gonzalez
Since she was a little girl growing up in Patchogue, Aleah Gonzalez has loved the outdoors and wanted to be a police officer. She found that her military background and the park police opportunity “have comparable lifestyle structures and similar basic principles.”
Additionally, Gonzalez loves a wildlife and says there’s no better way to start her law enforcement career than by working in our beautiful parks. To bolster that, she worked as a Park Ranger on Long Island in 2023 and 2024 before the academy.
“When I was employed at Heckscher State Park, it remined me of a time when my family enjoyed a day at the park pool,” Gonzalez said. “Each time I would oversee that section of the park, it would bring a joyful memory of my youth. Therefore, it was nice to come full circle in my adult life by being employed there.”
Quick Moves For Gitto
Whether at the airshow at Jones Beach or annual fishing festivals at Belmont Lake State Park and Hempstead Lake State Park, Robert Gitto of Massapequa Park has loved New York’s state parks all his life.
“When I look back, I didn’t realize the memories I had visiting state parks,” Gitto said. “Now more than ever, I am proud to serve as a New York State Park Police Officer and look forward to my career protecting and preserving the State’s parks.”
Last spring, Gitto began as a seasonal Park Ranger at Jones Beach, even working the 20th anniversary of the iconic airshow, before moving on to the academy. It was at the airshow where he put his training to good use to achieve “one of my proudest moments when I reunited a missing child with their father,” he said.
Gitto was at his post on the boardwalk when a man ran up in a panic. His nine-year old nephew was missing among the tens of thousands of people at the beach. Gitto took notes about location (beachfront), clothing (football jersey) and time he’d been gone (about 30 minutes) and then radioed command. After about 15 minutes, Gitto found the boy. “I felt like I made a difference helping a distressed family locate their missing son.”
A Message of Meaningful Support
At the graduation at the Hall of Springs at Saratoga Spa State Park, Park Police Chief Michael Daddona had a message for his new officers and especially their families with the support and sacrifice they have offered.
“You have stood by them, I’m sure listened to countless Academy stories, helped them prepare for the following week and offered guidance without even saying a word sometimes,” Chief Daddona said. “Today, you should share in their pride and achievement as this graduation ceremony is about you and your support for them as well.”
Congratulations, Graduates!
Effective January 6, 2025, the members listed below will be assigned in the Districts and Zones indicated to complete Supervised Field Training. Upon successful completion of the Division’s Supervised Field Training Program, they will report to their Post Field Training Assignment Zone.
| Name (Hometown) | Post Field Training District / Zone |
| Officer Otto Pleakis (Allegany) | Allegany |
| Officer Sahidul Islam (Albany) | Central |
| Officer Blaise Sutton ( Utica) | Central |
| Officer Vincent Alesi (Locust Valley) | Finger Lakes |
| Officer Amber Dillenbeck (Sharon Springs) | Finger Lakes |
| Officer Ryan Beutel (Hilton) | Genesee |
| Officer Carla Martinez (Lawrence) | Genesee |
| Officer Samantha Turner (Nanuet) | Genesee |
| Officer Daria Black (New Hyde Park) | New York City |
| Officer Michael Bodnar (Shoreham) | New York City |
| Officer Stephanie Carcamo (West Hempstead) | New York City |
| Officer Gianna Dickson (Hauppauge) | New York City |
| Officer James Fisenne (Wantagh) | New York City |
| Officer Nicholas Fusco (Smithtown) | New York City |
| Officer Robert Gitto (Massapequa Park) | New York City |
| Officer Arnold Hillian (Baldwin) | New York City |
| Officer Kyle Walsh (Massapequa) | New York City |
| Officer Nicholas Anzalone (Grand Island) | Niagara |
| Officer Md Iqbal Hossain (Queens) | Niagara |
| Officer Alan Lin (Monticello) | Niagara |
| Officer Daniel Aldrich (Airmont) | Palisades |
| Officer Timothy Bazylewicz (Farmingdale) | Palisades |
| Officer Aleah Gonzalez (Patchogue) | Palisades |
| Officer Brandon Jennings (Greenwood Lake) | Palisades |
| Officer Matthew Parrillo (Medford) | Palisades |
| Officer John Menconeri (Wappingers Falls) | Taconic |
| Officer Sabrina Salazar-Arango (White Plains) | Taconic |
| Officer Enma Bautista (East Patchogue) | Thousand Islands |
| Officer Maddy Chamberlain (Adams) | Thousand Islands |
-Written by John Craig, Public Affairs Digital Specialist
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 