“Our New York State Park Police force is critical to maintaining the safety, accessibility and enjoy ability of our state parks and the many events and gatherings they host. I am troubled by reports stating that the number of State Park Police officers has been slashed by as much as 50% in recent years and will be fighting throughout the budget process to get more officers back in our parks.

If we have learned anything during this COVID-19 crisis, it’s that our law enforcement in New York state never lets us down. As the usage of state parks increased during the pandemic, our state’s leaders let down our parks’ officers. It's time to right that wrong now.”