Law enforcement in New York City - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Law enforcement in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

is carried out by numerous law enforcement agencies. New York City has the highest concentration of law enforcement agencies in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. As with the rest of the US, agencies operate at federal and state levels. However, New York City's unique nature means many more operate at lower levels. Many private police forces also operate in New York City, again unique in the US.

State government agencies

The Government of New York state

Government of New York

As in all 50 states, the head of the executive branch of the government of New York is a Governor. The legislative branch is called the Legislature and consists of a Senate and an Assembly. Unlike most states, New York electoral law permits electoral fusion; thus New York ballots tend to show a...

operates one of the highest numbers of law enforcement agencies in the United States. While their jurisdiction stretches throughout New York City, many functions are duplicated by municipal agencies.

Government departments

New York State Department of Correctional Services
New York State Department of Correctional Services
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision or NYSDOCCS is the agency of New York State responsible for the care, confinement, and rehabilitation of approximately 63,000 inmates at 71 correctional facilities funded by the State of New York. The department employs...
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police is the police force of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Members of the DEC Police are New York State police officers...
New York State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
New York State Division of Parole
New York State Division of Parole
The New York State Division of Parole is the division of the government of New York responsible for parole.In criminal justice systems, parole is the supervised release of a prisoner before the completion of his/her sentence...
New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives
New York State Division of State Police
New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police force of over 4,600 sworn Troopers for the state of New York. It was established on April 11, 1917 by the New York Legislature, in response to the 1913 murder of a construction foreman named Sam Howell in Westchester County, which at that time did not...
New York State DMV Division of Field Investigations

Other state agencies

New York Army National Guard
New York Army National Guard
The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
New York Air National Guard
New York Air National Guard
The New York Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of New York. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as its state mission...
New York State Bridge Authority Police
New York State Court Officers
New York State Court Officers
New York State Court Officers are law enforcement officers who provide police services to the New York State Unified Court System, and enforce state and city laws at all facilities operated by the New York State Unified Court System.- Training :...
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services is an agency of the Government of New York. The agency has its headquarters in the Capital View Office Park in Rensselaer.-History:...
New York State Forest Rangers
New York State Forest Rangers
The New York State Forest Rangers are law enforcement officials of the Division of Forest Protection of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation...
New York State Office of Mental Health Police
New York State Office of Mental Health Police
The New York State Office of Mental Health Police is a law enforcement agency that provides police and security services to the New York State Office of Mental Health.-History:...
New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Police
New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Police
The New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Police is a law enforcement agency that provides police and security services to the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities....
New York State Office of Tax Enforcement
New York State Office of Tax Enforcement
The New York State Office of Tax Enforcement is a law enforcement entity of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance that conducts criminal and civil investigations, investigators employed in the office carry firearms and have police powers to make arrests and execute search warrants...
New York State Park Police
New York State Park Police
The New York State Park Police is the police department of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.-Mission of the NYSPP:...
New York State Special Commission of Investigation
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department
New York State University Police
Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority Police
Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor Police
Roosevelt Island Department of Public Safety

City government agencies

Members of city law enforcement agencies get their powers and privileges from the state Criminal Procedure Law in one of three ways:

as police officers, under subdivision 34, §1.20,
as peace officers, under one of the subdivisions of §2.10, or
as special patrolmen, under subdivision 27, §2.10.

Designation as a special patrolman is unique to New York City, and is given by the Commissioner of the NYPD

New York City Police Commissioner

The New York City Police Commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of New York City. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, in one of his final acts before becoming Vice President of the United States in March 1901, signed legislation replacing the Police Board...

under section 14-106 of the administrative code of the city of New York. This designation gives special patrolmen the same powers and privileges as peace officers while on duty, with five exceptions - school safety officers, parking control specialists, taxi and limousine inspectors, urban park rangers and evidence and property control specialists, who all keep their powers even when off duty.


Force	Parent department	Duties	Status	Size
New York City Police Department New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...	-	General law enforcement	police officers	36227
New York City Sheriff's Office New York City Sheriff's Office The New York City Sheriff's Office is the civil law enforcement division of the New York City Department of Finance. The Sheriff's office is headed by a sheriff, who is appointed to the position by the mayor, unlike most sheriffs in New York State who are elected officials...	New York City Department of Finance New York City Department of Finance The New York City Department of Finance is the local taxation agency of New York City. The New York City Sheriff's Office is its civil enforcement arm.-Mission statement:The Department's primary operational goals are:...	Executing warrants and limited general law enforcement	peace officers	150
New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police The New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police, also known as DEP Police, and formerly known as the Bureau of Water Supply Police and the Aqueduct Police, is a law enforcement agency in New York whose duties are to protect and preserve the New York City water supply system, the...	New York City Department of Environmental Protection New York City Department of Environmental Protection The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a City agency of nearly 6,000 employees that manages and conserves the City’s water supply; distributes more than one billion gallons of clean drinking water each day to nine million New Yorkers and collects wastewater through a vast...	The city's water supply system	police officers	154
New York City Department of Investigation New York City Department of Investigation The New York City Department of Investigation is an agency of the New York City government. It serves as an independent and nonpartisan watchdog for New York City government. Major functions include investigating and referring for prosecution cases of fraud, corruption and unethical conduct by...	-	Public corruption & fraud	peace officers	-
New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission Enforcement	-	Enforcing taxi licensing law	special patrolmen	-
New York City Department of Health and Hospitals Police New York City Department of Health and Hospitals Police The New York City Department of Health and Hospitals Police is a law enforcement agency in New York City that's duties are to provide police and security services to hospitals operated by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation , and to enforce state and city laws at hospitals operated...	New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation operates the public hospitals and clinics in New York City. A public benefit corporation with $6.7 billion in annual revenues, HHC is the largest municipal healthcare system in the United States serving 1.3 million patients, including more than...	General law enforcement at city-owned hospitals & clinics	peace officers	1200
New York City Human Resources Administration Police Department New York City Human Resources Administration Police Department The New York City Human Resources Administration Police Department is a law enforcement agency in New York City whose duties are to provide police and security services to facilities operated by the New York City Human Resources Administration , and to enforce state and city laws at facilities...	New York City Human Resources Administration New York City Human Resources Administration The New York City Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services is a Mayoral Agency of the New York City government in charge of the majority of the city’s social services programs. HRA helps New Yorkers in need through a variety of services that promote employment and personal...	General law enforcement at HRA facilities	peace officers	73
New York City Department of Homeless Services Police New York City Department of Homeless Services Police The New York City Department of Homeless Services Police is a law enforcement agency in New York City whose duties are to provide police services to the New York City Department of Homeless Services , and to enforce state and city laws at all facilities operated by the New York City Department of...	New York City Department of Homeless Services	General law enforcement at DHS facilities	peace officers	380
New York City Department of Sanitation Police New York City Department of Sanitation Police The New York City Department of Sanitation Police is the law enforcement arm of the New York City Department of Sanitation...	New York City Department of Sanitation New York City Department of Sanitation The New York City Department of Sanitation, or DSNY, is a uniformed force of unionized sanitation workers in New York City. Their responsibilities include garbage collection, recycling collection, street cleaning, and snow removal...	Enforcement of city sanitation and recycling laws	peace officers	130
New York City Parks Enforcement Patrol New York City Parks Enforcement Patrol The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation maintains a specialized unit of full time and seasonal uniformed peace officers who enforce department rules and regulations, as well as New York State laws within the jurisdiction of New York City parks. Established in 1981, NYC Parks...	New York City Department of Parks and Recreation New York City Department of Parks and Recreation The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...	General law enforcement in parks	special patrolmen	85
City University of New York Public Safety Department City University of New York Public Safety Department The City University of New York Public Safety Department is the fifth largest law enforcement agency in New York City whose duties are to protect all campuses owned by the City University of New York and to enforce state and city laws on and off campus grounds 24 hours a day 7 days a week...	City University of New York City University of New York The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...	General law enforcement on campus	peace officers	714
New York City Fire Department Fire Marshals	New York City Fire Department New York City Fire Department The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...	Investigating fires	police officers	140
New York City Department of Correction New York City Department of Correction The New York City Department of Correction is responsible for New York City's inmates, housing the majority of them on Rikers Island. It employs 9,500 uniformed officers and 1,400 civilian staff, has 543 vehicles, and processes over 100,000 new inmates every year, retaining a population of inmates...	-	Correctional facilities	peace officers	9500
New York City Department of Probation New York City Department of Probation The New York City Department of Probation is a department of the government of New York City responsible for providing supervision for adults and juveniles placed on probation by judges in the Supreme, Criminal, and Family courts...	-	Probation and parole	peace officers	782
New York City Marshals	New York City Department of Investigation New York City Department of Investigation The New York City Department of Investigation is an agency of the New York City government. It serves as an independent and nonpartisan watchdog for New York City government. Major functions include investigating and referring for prosecution cases of fraud, corruption and unethical conduct by... (independent public officers)	Enforcement of civil debts	peace officers	83

Since 1942, corrections and probation have been handled by separate agencies, not the sheriff's office, as opposed to the normal US practice of municipal-level services being carried out by sheriffs

Sheriffs in the United States

In the United States, a sheriff is a county official and is typically the top law enforcement officer of a county. Historically, the sheriff was also commander of the militia in that county. Distinctive to law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected. The political election of...

Private-governmental agencies

Uniquely, for the United States, a number of private companies operate their own police departments. Their members are either peace officers or special patrolmen and have almost all the same powers as police officers in New York state:

Co-op City Department of Public Safety
Co-op City Department of Public Safety
The Co-op City Department of Public Safety is a security police force in the Bronx borough of New York City whose duties are to protect the property and citizens of Co-op City, and to enforce state and city laws on Co-op City property...
Hunts Point Department of Public Safety
Hunts Point Department of Public Safety
The Hunts Point Department of Public Safety is a law enforcement agency in the borough of the Bronx within the confines of New York City. Their duties are to enforce city & state laws at the New York City Terminal Market, to protect the people and property of the market, including all its ...
New York Racing Association
New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse-racing tracks in the state of New York. It runs Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island , and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga...

Peace Officer Division
Spring Creek Towers Department of Public Safety (Starrett City)
Starrett City, Brooklyn
Starrett City is a housing development in Brooklyn, New York City. Starrett City opened in 1974, and in 2002, changed its name to the Spring Creek Towers. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 5. Starrett City is patrolled by the NYPD's 75th Precinct.The Starrett City site spanned...
Sea Gate Police Department
Sea Gate Police Department
The Sea Gate Police Department is a law enforcement agency with full arrest authority whose police duties are to protect the property and citizens and to enforce state and city laws in and around the community of Sea Gate, Brooklyn...
Snug Harbor Park Rangers

Additionally, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals...

employs 14 members as peace officers, responsible for investigating cases of animal cruelty:

ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division
ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division
The ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division is the law enforcement arm of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals...

State government agencies

Government departments

Other state agencies

City government agencies

Private-governmental agencies

See also