Binghamton Police Department
The Binghamton Police Department, commonly referred to as the Binghamton Police, Binghamton Police Bureau, or simply BPD, is a professional police organization responsible for primary jurisdictional law enforcement for the city of Binghamton, New York. Binghamton is located in Broome County, which is located in the Southern Tier of New York State. Binghamton Police headquarters are located in Government Plaza, 38 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY 13901 (607) 772-7077. The department is a New York State Accredited Agency.
History
Founded in 1867, the department has 124 sworn officers and several civilian employees. The Binghamton Police became a New York State Accredited Police Department in 1995, meeting the 144 standards set forth by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Office of Public Safety.[1]
Personnel data
In terms of number of sworn officers (124), the Binghamton Police is the largest department in the Greater Binghamton area. The department’s sworn officers consists of 115 men, 9 women. The agency employs 118 Caucasian officers, 1 African-American officer, 1 Asian American officer, 2 Latino American officers and 2 biracial officers. The agency serves a city population of 47,380 (2000 Census).
Structure and organization
The Binghamton Police Patrol Division is divided into three daily shifts (reliefs). 'Relief One' hours are 10:45pm to 6:45am, 'Relief Two' hours are 6:45am to 2:45pm, and 'Relief Three' hours are 2:45pm to 10:45pm. Each shift consists of 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 3 Sergeants, several patrol officers, and 1 K-9 unit.
There are eight specifically designated zones the patrol officers cover. Those zones primarily consist of the west side, south side, east and north side, and downtown. The department still continues to utilize foot patrols.
In 2005, the Patrol Division handled over 77,000 calls for assistance.
The department's Detective Division is responsible for investigating all crimes that occur within the city. All units of the Detective Division are under the leadership of the Detective Captain. The Detective Division includes five subdivisions, Investigators (9 Investigators and 4 Supervisors), Identification Unit (4 specially trained Crime Scene Investigators), Juvenile Division (2 Investigators), Special Investigation Unit (7 Investigators and 2 Supervisors), and the Warrant Unit (1 Patrol Officer and 1 Supervisor).
In an effort to become more efficient in enforcing drug laws the Binghamton Police SIU joined forces with the Broome County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit in 2004 forming the Special Investigation Task Force.
Units
The department consists of different divisions including, Patrol Division, Traffic Division, Detective Division, Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Juvenile Unit, Identification Unit (Crime Scene Investigators), Crime Prevention Unit, S.W.A.T. team, D.W.I. Task-Force, K-9 division, and Warrants Division. The Patrol Division is the largest component of the department, composed of 15 Supervisors, 76 officers, and 4 K-9 units.
Ranks
[1] Chief of Police
[2] Assistant Chiefs
[5] Captains
[3] Lieutenants
[18] Sergeants
[95] Patrol Officers
Equipment
Uniforms
The Binghamton Police Patrol Officers wear navy blue uniforms, with a white departmental patch located on the left shoulder. Each officer is issued a Glock Model 22 semiautomatic service weapon during training. The department utilizes black and white “L.A.P.D.-style” Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor cruisers, Chevy Tahoes, and Nissan Hybrids.
Facilities
The Binghamton Police main headquarters is located on the first floor of the City Hall building. The department also has a substation located on the northside of the city, however, it is rarely utilized. At city hall, across the hall from the front entrance into the station itself, are offices of Police Administration, which includes Chief of Police, Assistant Chiefs, and a Captain in charge of Internal Affairs, as well as other civilian employees. Inside the station itself, is the main desk area where the desk lieutenant maintains constant supervision of the shift and the whereabouts and knowledge of the activities of all its officers. Police officers do paper work in the main desk area of the station.
The station houses dozens of barred holding cells capable of holding numerous prisoners. Holding cells for women are separate from that of the men separated by a hallway. The Detective Bureau, Traffic Office, Crime Prevention Unit, and Identification Unit are also located inside the station.
In the depths of the city hall building, only members of the Binghamton Police have access to several secure rooms and areas that are located in the basement of the building. There is a separate armory and firearm range, and a room for the S.W.A.T. team. There is also a large gym and locker room areas for men and women.
Recruitment qualifications
The department has an outstanding reputation of tough, well-trained, diligent police officers. In recent years, numerous police officers from other agencies have transferred into the Binghamton Police, some citing the department’s exemplary reputation as a reason for seeking transfer. Since 2000, the department has consistently hired at least 3 new recruit police officers each year, but has been known to hire many more in a single recruit class. Selection for new hirees is highly competitive and only the most qualified candidates become hired. Once hired, the recruit officer is put on strict probationary status for 1 full year. The recruit is then trained for 7 months at the Zone 6 Broome County paramilitary police academy located at the Broome County Sheriff's Office, where each recruit becomes certified in firearms, first response, emergency vehicle operation, use of force continuum, defensive tactics, and other critical skills.
Criteria to become a police officer
- Must pass civil service test with high score.
- Must be a city resident prior to date of civil service test.
- Must pass physical agility exam.
- Must possess required college credits and/or military background.
- Must pass thorough background check.
- Must have formal interviews with members of Police Administration and Mayor.
- Vision must be at least 20/60 in each eye correctable to 20/20.
- Must be in top physical condition and health.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Binghamton Police Department, 7 officers have died in the line of duty.[2][3]
| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Patrolman Alex Horvatt[4] | Electrocuted | |
| Patrolman William F. McDonald[5] | Gunfire | |
| Patrolman Clarence W. Moran[6] | Gunfire | |
| Patrolman Gerald M. Tracey[7] | Vehicle pursuit | |
| Patrolman George J. Weslar[8] | Gunfire | |
| Patrolman William F. Holbert Jr.[9] | Gunfire | |
| Patrolman Lee E. Barta[10] | Gunfire |
See also
List of law enforcement agencies in New York
References
- Binghamton Police website Archived January 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- The Officer Down Memorial Page
- Binghamton Police Fallen Heroes page Archived April 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- Patrolman Alex Horvatt
- Patrolman William F. McDonald
- Patrolman Clarence W. Moran
- Patrolman Gerald M. Tracey
- Patrolman George J. Weslar
- Patrolman William F. Holbert Jr.
- Patrolman Lee E. Barta