Director of Law Enforcement

Minimum Qualifications• Associates degree and ten years of experience in a field related to law enforcement. This experience must include at least three years of management experience, which is defined as including responsibility for implementation of program goals and objectives within established budgets, and supervision or coordination of staff to achieve specific objectives. The experience must have been gained by working in a large, complex police department. Current certification as a police officer in the State of New York according to the standards of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, Municipal Training Council, is also required.

• Higher-level academic degrees may be substituted for the required experience. The degree and experience substitutions are:
o Bachelor’s Degree and eight years of experience
o Master’s Degree and seven years of experience
o PhD and five years of experience

• The three years of management experience is required regardless of degree.

Duties DescriptionAbout the Position:
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation is seeking a dynamic law enforcement professional to lead the New York State Park Police in building and maintaining strong relationships with the communities in which our parks are located, regional leaders, and partner agencies. The Director of Law Enforcement is a collaborative leader who listens to and engages others in building solutions, is receptive to new ideas, is not afraid to make difficult decisions, and is able to take decisive action and see initiatives through to completion. The ideal candidate is approachable and has a sense of humor; has experience leading and modernizing public safety programs; has a proven track record of outstanding character, ethics, and integrity, and has a demonstrated commitment to integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in to policing. The successful candidate is adaptable, service oriented, and leads by example. The Director of Law Enforcement will guide and lead the Park Police through the changes that are occurring in policing throughout the nation and implement strategies required for law enforcement to be successful today and into the future.

About the New York State Park Police:
The New York State Park Police began as a patrol force in 1885 at Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the country. As the State Park system grew, so did the need for police services, and by 1973 State Park Police officers were on patrol in every park region across New York. Park Police officers are highly trained specialists, dedicated to preserving the peace associated with a park environment. Park Police serve year-round protecting more than 200 park facilities across the state with proactive patrols that keep our more-than-78-million-annual visitors safe and secure in both rural and urban environments and a variety of terrain.

Our Culture:
The mission of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to provide safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities for New York State residents and visitors. The core values of the Park Police are summed up using the acronym PRIDE;
-Professionalism
-Respect
-Integrity
-Dedication
-Excellence

Our core values are demonstrated by our willingness to challenge the status quo, ability to work together using all areas of expertise to achieve a common goal, and commitment to fulfilling the needs of our park visitors through thoughtful interactions. We are searching for a professional who shares our values to join our organization.