Law enforcement in New York City

Law enforcement in New York City is carried out by numerous federal, state, city and private agencies. New York City has the highest concentration of law enforcement in the United States.

Federal government agencies

 * Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
 * Amtrak Police Department
 * Department of Defense Police
 * Diplomatic Security Service
 * Drug Enforcement Administration
 * Federal Air Marshal Service
 * Federal Bureau of Investigation
 * Federal Bureau of Prisons
 * Federal Reserve Police
 * Immigration and Customs Enforcement
 * IRS Criminal Investigation Division
 * National Park Service Ranger (Law Enforcement)
 * Naval Criminal Investigative Service
 * Smithsonian Police (for the George Gustav Heye Center and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum)
 * U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
 * United States Coast Guard
 * U.S. Customs and Border Protection
 * United States Federal Protective Service
 * U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
 * United States Marshals Service
 * U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of New York
 * U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of New York
 * United States Park Police
 * United States Postal Inspection Service
 * U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System
 * United States Secret Service
 * United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police

State government agencies
The Government of New York State 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.


 * New York State Office of the Attorney General – Investigations Division
 * Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department
 * MTA Bridge and Tunnel Officers (Triborough Bridge Authority)
 * New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
 * New York State Court Officers
 * New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police
 * New York State Forest Rangers
 * New York State Office of Mental Health Police
 * New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Police
 * New York State Department of Motor Vehicles – Division of Field Investigations
 * New York State Park Police
 * New York State Police
 * New York State University Police
 * New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
 * Criminal Investigations Division
 * New York State Office of Tax Enforcement
 * Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor Police (WCPD)

Bi-state agencies
These agencies work in both New York State and New Jersey and have jurisdiction in both states.

Powers and Authority
Members of New York city law enforcement agencies receive their powers and authority from New York State Criminal Procedure Law as listed:
 * Police Officers who are listed under Article 2, §1.20 section 34 (A through V)
 * Peace Officers who are listed under Article 2, §2.10 (1 through 85).


 * There is a separate title for New York City (only) called Special Patrolman:
 * Designation as a special patrolman is unique to New York City, and is granted by the Commissioner of the NYPD to Non government / Private owned and operated companies who have their own public safety department, and in connection with their special duties of employment. Such designation confers very limited NYS Peace Officer powers upon the employee, pursuant to New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.10 sub(27). The exercise of these powers are very limited to the employee's geographical area of employment and only while such employee is actually working.

List of Agencies
Since 1942, correction and probation services have been handled by separate agencies, not the sheriff's office.

The New York City Marshals, who are independent public officers enforcing civil debt, are not peace officers. New York City Marshals are regulated by the New York City Department of Investigation.

Non government / Private Company
A number of private owned and operated communities have their own public safety. A limited number of personnel are New York state peace officers after completing a basic peace officer training course. This grants them very limited peace officer authority within their geographical area of employment in New York City.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is the primary law enforcement agency whose mission is to provide police patrol service and investigate all crimes that occur within New York City which includes the below listed communities.

Public Safety Officers must complete the New York State POST (Peace Officer Standard of Training) to become certified.


 * 1) The Times Square Alliance has its own Public Safety Officers (PSOs) who act as the 'eyes and ears' for the local police. They are unarmed and their motto is: New York's Most Helpful.
 * 2) The Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership BID has its own Public Safety Officers who act as ambassadors for the area. They patrol in uniform, during the daytime, seven days a week, regardless of weather.

Prosecuting attorneys
In New York State, each county has an elected district attorney who is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws. Federal law in the city of New York is prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York or the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Disbanded agencies

 * Central Park Police
 * ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division
 * New York City Park Police
 * New York Cross Harbor Railroad Police
 * New York City Telegraph Bureau
 * Defunct Agencies from the Bronx
 * Bronx County Safety Patrol
 * Kingsbridge Town Police Department
 * Town of Morrisania Police Department
 * West Farms Town Police Department
 * Defunct Agencies from Brooklyn
 * Brooklyn Police Department
 * Brooklyn Bridge Police
 * Brooklyn Town Police Department
 * Bushwick Town Police Department
 * Flatbush Town Police Department
 * Flatlands Town Police Department
 * New Utrecht Town Police Department
 * Defunct Agencies from Queens
 * Flushing Town Police Department
 * Long Island City Police Department
 * Jamaica Town Police Department
 * Merged into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police
 * Long Island Rail Road Police Department
 * Metro-North Railroad Police Department
 * Staten Island Rapid Transit Authority Police Department
 * Merged into the New York City Police Department:
 * New York City Housing Authority Police Department
 * New York City Board of Education Division of School Safety (See New York City Police Department School Safety Division)
 * New York City Transit Authority Police Department
 * Merged into the New York City Sheriff's Office
 * Bronx County Sheriff's Office
 * Kings County Sheriff's Office
 * New York County Sheriff's Office
 * Queens County Sheriff's Office
 * Richmond County Sheriff's Office
 * Succeeded by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police
 * New York City Bureau of Water Supply Police