New York City Department of Homeless Services Police
Encyclopedia
The New York City Department of Homeless Services Police (NYC DHS 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 (DHS), and to enforce state and city laws at all facilities operated by the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
Prior to 1997, there were peace officers stationed at a facility named Camp Laguardia, which was a homeless shelter in Orange County, New York
. This facility was run by the New York City Human Resources Administration prior to 1993 as were all other city operated homeless shelters. The HRA Police was the law enforcement agency at the facility. In 1993 when the Department of Homeless Services was formed, the HRA Police officers at the facility were given DHS Police patches and badges. Approximately 40 peace officers were left at the facility including 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 6 sergeants, and the rest were officers. All other city run shelters were using private security guards. Camp Laguardia had DHS Police officers assigned to it until it closed. In 1997 when it was observed how well and efficient it was to have peace officers in city run shelters, DHS started placing peace officers in other shelters it operated.
. The current training course is six weeks long, of which five weeks of training is given at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
and one week of training is given at the Department of Homeless Services headquarters in Manhattan. The training course includes training in law, police science, powers of a peace officer, defensive tactics, community interaction, radio use, arrest procedures, and first aid
/CPR. Re-training is done on a continuous basis to maintain the force at top level of efficiency at john jay college and specialized Training at the Rockland County Police Academy .
and unmarked Ford Explorer
s,jeep cherokee also ford fusion for its vehicle
fleet.
while on duty currently, however there are plans to arm officers in the near future. Currently, they are equipped with an expandable baton, pepper spray
, handcuffs
, flashlight
, reflective traffic vest
, bullet resistant vest, personal handheld metal detectors and a radio that is directly linked to the Central Dispatcher and other officers. Some officers are also equipped with a taser
hand gun.
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
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...
whose duties are to provide police services to the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS), and to enforce state and city laws at all facilities operated by the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
History
The New York City Department of Homeless Services was created in 1993 and made a mayoral agency in 1999. The Department of Homeless Services Police (DHS Police) was started in 1997 with approximately 65 peace officers assigned to various DHS facilities. By 2002, the DHS Police had over 270 peace officers at DHS facilities.Prior to 1997, there were peace officers stationed at a facility named Camp Laguardia, which was a homeless shelter in Orange County, New York
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
. This facility was run by the New York City Human Resources Administration prior to 1993 as were all other city operated homeless shelters. The HRA Police was the law enforcement agency at the facility. In 1993 when the Department of Homeless Services was formed, the HRA Police officers at the facility were given DHS Police patches and badges. Approximately 40 peace officers were left at the facility including 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 6 sergeants, and the rest were officers. All other city run shelters were using private security guards. Camp Laguardia had DHS Police officers assigned to it until it closed. In 1997 when it was observed how well and efficient it was to have peace officers in city run shelters, DHS started placing peace officers in other shelters it operated.
Training
When the Department of Homeless Services Police was established, the training given to officers was a one week peace officer training course. By June 2002, the training course was expanded to four weeks, including two days of training with the New York City Police DepartmentNew 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...
. The current training course is six weeks long, of which five weeks of training is given at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. The college offers programs in Forensic Science and Forensic...
and one week of training is given at the Department of Homeless Services headquarters in Manhattan. The training course includes training in law, police science, powers of a peace officer, defensive tactics, community interaction, radio use, arrest procedures, and first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
/CPR. Re-training is done on a continuous basis to maintain the force at top level of efficiency at john jay college and specialized Training at the Rockland County Police Academy .
Power and Authority
NYC Department of Homeless Services Police officers are New York State peace officers authorized to make warrantless arrests, make car stops, issue summonses, and use physical and deadly force.Vehicles
The New York City Department of Homeless Services Police currently utilizes fully marked Ford E-350 vansFord E-Series
The Ford E-Series, formerly known as the Econoline or Club Wagon, is a line of full-size vans and truck chassis from the Ford Motor Company. The E-Series is related to the Ford F-Series line of pickup trucks. The line was introduced in 1961 as a compact van and its descendants are still produced...
and unmarked Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
s,jeep cherokee also ford fusion for its vehicle
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
fleet.
Equipment
NYC Department of Homeless Services Police officers are not permitted to carry a firearmFirearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
while on duty currently, however there are plans to arm officers in the near future. Currently, they are equipped with an expandable baton, pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
, handcuffs
Handcuffs
Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each half has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist...
, flashlight
Flashlight
A flashlight is a hand-held electric-powered light source. Usually the light source is a small incandescent lightbulb or light-emitting diode...
, reflective traffic vest
High-visibility clothing
High-visibility clothing, a type of personal protective equipment , is any clothing worn that has highly reflective properties or a colour that is easily discernible from any background. Yellow waistcoats worn by emergency services are a common example....
, bullet resistant vest, personal handheld metal detectors and a radio that is directly linked to the Central Dispatcher and other officers. Some officers are also equipped with a taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
hand gun.
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in New York
- Law enforcement in New York CityLaw enforcement in New York CityLaw enforcement in New York City is carried out by numerous law enforcement agencies. New York City has the highest concentration of law enforcement agencies in the United States. As with the rest of the US, agencies operate at federal and state levels. However, New York City's unique nature means...
- New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police DepartmentThe 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...
- Security policeSecurity policeIn some countries, including the United States, security police are those persons, employed by or for a governmental agency, who provide police and security services to those agencies' properties....