New York State Police Troop G: Queensbury Barracks
Next year is the 100 year anniversary of the New York State Police. Recently we visited the Queensbury Barracks and spoke with the Barracks Sergeant and Station Commander, and the NYSP Public Information Officer Mark Cepiel to learn more about their local presence, their capabilities, and the valuable work they do to keep our communities safe.
Q: How long has this station been located here in Queensbury?
This station is part of New York State Police Troop G. The Queensbury location on Aviation Road was leased from the town in 1990.
Q: What region does this barracks cover?
Troop G covers 10 counties in New York State. This location covers Queensbury, Lake George Village, Hadley, Luzerne, Corinth, Day, Stoney Creek and also covers Interstate I87 from north of Wilton all the way to the Town of Chestertown.
There are over 400 troopers in Troop G, and all of them are at our disposal to serve any area in a time of need. Each station like Queensbury has multiple posts that are determined by Statewide Emergency Management concepts based on population, personnel, resources, etc., and determine the personnel assigned to each barracks. Officers are assigned to different communities; our Troopers cover specific geographical areas depending upon their post. We are always adequately covered even with special events happening somewhere else in the state.
Within the Queensbury station, every town is a post within the barracks, with some areas of overlap. We are able to ensure every post is covered and Troopers are assigned accordingly so that there is no part of the state that goes uncovered under the NY State Constitutional Amendment to provide police services.
Q. Where do your officers come from?
A. The majority of Troopers are local citizens; this is their home. One officer has been here since the barracks opened in 1990.
Q. What special skills do your Troopers have?
A. Troopers at our station have anywhere from 2 to 30+ years of experience.Within Queensbury there are multiple members assigned to mobile field units. These include:
- Firearms instructors
- Emergency vehicle operator instructors
- Speed enforcement instructors
- Troopers with special expertise in Alcohol testing
- Divers and a boat detail for water emergencies within Troop G, Zone 2 in Chestertown
- A canine handler that works with drug and bomb dogs within our geographic area
- Unit that responds to civil disturbances
Whatever needs we have, we can access resources from anywhere within Troop G to respond to any type of incident.
Q. How many of your officers are military veterans?
A: About 50% of our officers state wide are U.S. veterans. At the Queensbury barracks there are four active 
reservists along with several veterans from all branches. Ten officers retired from thirty years of active reserves.
Q. Are there any female Troopers?
A: Yes, there are a number of female troopers. One of the troopers assigned to the State Police barracks in Queensbury is currently fulfilling a stint as an Academy Instructor.
Q. What types of community outreach are you involved in?
A: Several troopers are involved in the Special Olympics Torch Run, “Shop With A Cop”, etc. Within our day-to-day operations we are continually doing community outreach. We have Troopers aligned regionally to respond to speaking requests and fill them as needed. Due to our size we are uniquely able to handle smaller requests, and will do as much as time and resources allow.
We have multiple requests to speak at local schools for events and assemblies addressing Character Education, Stranger Danger, safety, bullying and cyber bullying, driving, as well as Criminal Justice programs. We present not just to students, but to parents as well regarding internet safety, and provide support for teachers’ mandated professional development requirements.
Q. How do you recruit for new officers?
A: The trooper exam is offered once every 4 years via the New York State Police Recruitment Center. We continually get the word out by word of mouth, articles, website links, etc. There were between 20,000 – 24,000 people applying for each of the last few exams. The score you receive on the exam dictates what order you will be invited to sit for the Academy class. Only 1 in 10 will be accepted to Academy.
There are many types of positions and room for growth in the New York State Troopers organization. There are enough positions to be filled that you have opportunities to grow and gravitate to other areas of expertise. (NYS Trooper Exam Application)
Q: Greatest challenge in this area:
A: There really is no greatest challenge…there might be a theme at any one time, but it changes day by day. Distracted driving is a considerable challenge, along with the drug epidemic – especially heroin. Several troopers have had to use Narcan to save a life. Domestic violence continues to be the majority of calls we receive.
Q: What do you most want the community to know about you?
A: That we are always approachable and are here to help. People should never hesitate to report something that looks suspicious. Quite often, someone will say they noticed something after an incident occurs, but didn’t contact us because they didn’t want to be a bother and didn’t think it was worth a call. We encourage the public to let us know whenever they see something of concern, and let us make the determination.
Some historic New York State Police photos:
Resources:
- New York State Police Website
- NYS Special Olympics
- New York State Police Recruitment Center
- New York State Police Centennial Celebration
- New York State Police News