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Governor Hochul Announces 214th Session Graduation From The State Police Basic School

Written by Chris Boyle  |  15. May 2024

Governor Kathy Hochul congratulated 228 new State Troopers as they graduated today from the 214th Session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Today’s graduation increases the State Police ranks to 4,977 sworn members.

“Today’s graduates have dedicated themselves to a life of public service, and are making a commitment to serve and protect all New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “I commend these new Troopers for their hard work and dedication, and I wish them well as they join the long grey line in keeping the people of our great state safe.”

“Today we celebrate the newest graduates of the New York State Police Academy joining a long tradition of honor,” Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado said. “New York will be a safer place because of these public servants. We applaud their dedication, bravery, and commitment to serving our state.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Today’s ceremony is one of our finest traditions, and introduces a new generation of highly trained men and women to the New York State Police. These new Troopers will serve New Yorkers with honor, integrity, and bravery, and I welcome them to our ranks.”

In addition to honoring all graduates from the 214th Session of Basic School, Superintendent James presented the following awards:

Academic Performance Award

As a special incentive for all students attending the State Police Academy Basic School, the Superintendent sponsors the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest level of academic performance during Academy training.

The winner of the “Academic Performance Award” is Trooper Nicholas J. Krafft, a 26-year-old resident of Cornwall, New York. He is a graduate of John Jay College with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Prior to joining the New York State Police, he was a patrolman with the New York City and Blooming Grove Police Departments. Throughout the Academy training program, he achieved an outstanding overall academic average of 95.72 percent. He will be assigned to Troop F.

Firearms Proficiency Award

The New York State Trooper Foundation has sponsored the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest level of performance in all phases of firearms training.

The winner of the Superintendent’s Firearms Proficiency Award is Trooper Matthew A. Grant, age 28, of Washingtonville, New York. He attended SUNY Orange County Community College where he studied business administration. Prior to joining the New York State Police, Trooper Grant was a police officer with the New York Police Department and served in the United States Marine Corps. During firearms training, he fired an average score of 250 out of a possible 250. He will be assigned to Troop F.

Investigator Joseph T. Aversa Physical Fitness Award

The New York State Police Investigators Association has sponsored the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest degree of physical fitness during the Physical Training Program at the Academy.  This award will be presented in memory of deceased Investigator Joseph Aversa.  Investigator Aversa made the ultimate sacrifice in New York City on March 5, 1990, during a narcotics investigation while serving as a member of the Joint Drug Enforcement Task Force. Investigator Aversa was a six-year State Police veteran who believed that physical conditioning was an integral part of being a Trooper.

The recipient of this Award is Trooper Dominick A. Battaglia, Jr., age 25, of Liverpool, New York. Trooper Battaglia is a graduate of Le Moyne College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA. Prior to joining the State Police, he was an analyst at National Grid and was a patrolman for the Onondaga County Park Police. During the physical agility testing, he achieved the highest score of all 228 Members of the 214th Session, a tribute to his superb physical conditioning. He will be assigned to Troop D.

Student Representative

The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association has sponsored the awarding of a firearm to the member of the class who is selected by his or her peers to represent them during these exercises.  The PBA presents the award in memory of Trooper John J. McKenna IV, who was killed in action in 2006, while serving his country as a Marine in Iraq.

The recipient of this Award is Trooper Jack C. Merritt, age 28, of Somers, New York. He is a graduate of Oneonta State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Prior to joining the New York State Police, he served in the United States Marine Corps. He will be assigned to Troop F.

The new Troopers will report for field duty on May 17, 2024. For the following 10 weeks, the new Troopers will be evaluated under a field-training program supervised by senior Field Training Officers.

Below is a list of Field Training assignments where graduates will begin their careers. Included are the hometowns of the graduates.

Troop A

BRYCE

A

BORDONARO

LeRoy, NY

ADAM

A

PANFIL

Buffalo, NY

LAMAR

R

REEVES III

Buffalo, NY

WILLIAM

L

GORMAN

Buffalo, NY

QUINTEN

J

VLES

Lancaster, NY

GARY

W

ANDZEL

West Seneca, NY

ZACHARY

J

HANNAN

Pavillion, NY

MATTHEW

S

FINNEGAN

Yorktown, NY

HUNTER

L

TEBOE

Falconer, NY

JACOB

T

WENTLAND

Depew, NY

CHRISTIAN

J

MAEDER

Hamburg, NY

JACK

A

WEBBER

Buffalo, NY

GRIFFIN

M

SMITH

Holland, NY

ANDREW

A

ACHENBACH

Williamsville, NY

MICHAEL

M

MOTLEY

Buffalo, NY

JOELLE

M

KADI

Orchard Park, NY

BENJAMIN

G

HANFORD

Clarence, NY

ERNEST

R

ROBINSON

Buffalo, NY

ELIJAH

S

BOROWIAK

Hamburg, NY

JAMES

P

CHOJNACKI

Buffalo, NY

 

Troop B

CAMERON

R

GALLAGHER

Malone, NY

PETER

G

ERMOLD

Potsdam, NY

KURT

F

OEHLBECK

Elizabethtown, NY

DZIHAD

 

CECUNJANIN

Saranac Lake, NY

MYIA

J

TYLER

Gouverneur, NY

ERIC

J

BURLESON

Warwick, NY

TY

C

REED

Gouverneur, NY

BRETT

J

DAWSON

Lake Clear, NY

ASHLEY

J

PITTMAN

Saranac Lake, NY

JACOB

W

LAFOUNTAIN

Plattsburgh, NY

WYATT

J

GOUGH

Elizabethtown, NY

JACOB

R

CASEY

Plattsburgh, NY

ANTHONY

 

MURCIA

Rocky Point, NY

HAILEY

 

DUNSMORE

Rotterdam, NY

JOSIAH

D

MCGRATH

Massena, NY

HENRY

 

FELDER IV

Queens, NY

DYLAN

J

LA BARBERA

Plainview, NY

CONOR

P

MAHONY

Lancaster, NY

GHANESHAM

 

LALBEHARI

Queens, NY

ADRIAN

C

GERVASIO

Huntington, NY

KENNETH

H

COLVIN

South Glens Falls, NY

JACK

R

GIBBONS

Ellmore, NY

CLAUDIA

P

ANDRADE-JOYA

Farmingville, NY

AMANDA

 

MONAHAN

Bay Shore, NY

JUSTIN

T

GALOVICH

Lake View, NY

GIANNA

T

LORENZO

Blue Point, NY

KARVEN

 

ALCINDOR

Jamaica, NY

NATHAN

G

BAULAND

Shoreham, NY

JENNIFER

 

ALVAREZ

Deer Park, NY

ROBERT

B

CORRIGAN

Freehold, NY

HELSON

A

SANTIAGO

Bronx, NY

SAHIAN

N

SANTO

West Babylon, NY

VERONICA

A

YNOA

Richmond Hall, NY

 

Troop C

AVERY

D

MIDDENDORF

Apalachin, NY

CONNOR

W

RICE

Vestal, NY

AUSTIN

 

HASKELL

Kirkwood, NY

BRIAN

I

FASSETT

Richfield Springs, NY

RAFAEL

 

OVIEDO

Binghamton, NY

MICHAEL

 

DIAZ

Cornoa, NY

ANTHONY

R

VALENTE

Oakdale, NY

JOSEPH

M

SPRINGMAN

Center Moriches, NY

CARISSA

A

LEVISON

Pine Bush, NY

TYLER

M

DICINTIO

Pleasant Vally, NY

JOSEPH

J

CAVALIERE IV

Bethpage, NY

JEFFERY

 

CABRERA

Brentwood, NY

JACK

D

FULTON

New Hampton, NY

ISAIAH

 

JOHNSON

Whitestone, NY

RYAN

N

KALICHARAN

Schenectady, NY

EMMA

F

LEONARD

Pearl River, NY

ZOHIRUC

 

ISLAM

Brooklyn, NY

JEREMY

K

ROMERO

Woodside, NY

THIERNO

S

KABA

New York, NY

GABRIELLE

L

CIDRAS-LEE

Valatie, NY

JAKE

M

MAGSAMEN

Bloomingburg, NY

SEAN

M

LENNON

Lindenhurst, NY

JAMEL

H

GORDON-MAYFIELD

Brooklyn, NY

MICHAEL

P

D'ANDREA

Long Beach, NY

MATTHEW

R

WIERZBICKI

Goshen, NY

TROY

J

ARNO II

Binghamton, NY

 

Troop D

DOMINICK

A

BATTAGLIA JR

Liverpool, NY

JONATHAN

L

HALSEY

Canastota, NY

NATHANIEL

A

FERREIRA

North Greenbush, NY

JEREMY

N

MACHIA

Watertown, NY

RENALDO

M

MCFARLANE

Canajoharie, NY

MICHAEL

K

LIVESAY

Clay, NY

CONNOR

J

GNATEK

Whitesboro, NY

NATHANIEL

N

TESTER

Manlius, NY

HUNTER

J

BARTON

Clayton, NY

TREVOR

R

JONES

Sauquoit, NY

TRAVON

L

THOMPSON

Utica, NY

MARK

T

MORREALE

Whitesboro, NY

WALKER

W

PLAMONDON

Liverpool, NY

VICTORIA

A

NEUFANG

Fabius, NY

CONNOR

L

MILLER

Rome, NY

BRENDON

M

SCORDO

Dexter, NY

DAVID

R

MATTHEWSON III

Syracuse, NY

KAROLINA

 

MROZ

Bronx, NY

HAYDEN

J

BARTON

Clayton, NY

KALYN

M

OLNEY

Rome, NY

ALICIA

H

EVANS

Black River, NY

FRITZ

J

BAPTISTE

Queens, NY

NEIKO

C

SCARANO

Little Falls, NY

WESTON

G

GRAY

Philadelphia, NY

LIAM

A

DOYLE

Varysburg, NY

COLLIN

A

DIX

LaFayette, NY

KERRI

J

MURRAY

Lindenhurst, NY

CODY

S

FOWLER

Utica, NY

 

Troop E

TYLER

J

SCHELL

Newark, NY

ATHEAR

I

AHMAD

Henrietta, NY

JOSE

N

MEDINA

Seneca Falls, NY

KYLE

S

SCHREADER

Lockport, NY

RICHARD

K

LITTLE

Grand Island, NY

ROBERT

F

WITNAUER

West Seneca, NY

SAMANTHA

M

IWANKOW

West Senaca, NY

LUCAS

R

SNYDER

Auburn, NY

NOLAN

A

BRINK

Frewsburg, NY

RILEY

E

BEVILACQUA

Rochester, NY

MIKAELA

A

WITHERS

Moravia, NY

LEEANN

F

SCHERMERHORN

Lockport, NY

KARLY

J

WELTY

Portville, NY

MUNESS

S

QADRI

Jamestown, NY

SOLOMON

T

SHABAZZ

Amherst, NY

TAYLOR

R

FRICK

Humble, TX

ELLIOT

A

MOORE

Orchard Park, NY

JORDAN

D

STANDER

Horseheads, NY

 

Troop F

NICHOLAS

J

KRAFFT

Cornwall, NY

JACK

C

MERRITT

Somers, NY

ZACHARY

A

WESOLOWSKI

Kingston, NY

JOSEPH

A

MISASI

Westtown, NY

MATTHEW

A

GRANT

Washingtonville, NY

GREGORY

W

SCOTT

Parksville, NY

MICHAEL

P

LOGUE JR

Milton, NY

JONATHAN

W

WARASILA

Patchogue, NY

DYLAN

 

JOSLIN-PETER

Saugerties, NY

DANIEL

G

HOGAN

Pearl River, NY

CAMERON

A

GOMAS

Greenwood Lake, NY

JOHN

P

MONAGHAN

Saugerties, NY

JASON

F

ULLOA

Brentwood, NY

EDUARDO

J

JACOBO JR

Bronx, NY

JASON

C

JENNINGS

Greenwood Lake, NY

JOHN

D

STORER

Ithaca, NY

GULYAM

 

GULYAMOV

Ramapo, NY

JOSHUA

M

BROWN

Westbrookville, NY

RYAN

F

MCQUADE

Huntington Station, NY

DANIEL

S

FITZPATRICK

Chester, NY

ALISON

J

LOUGHRAN

Chester, NY

JOSEPH

M

TEDFORD

Coxsackie, NY

ANTHONY

R

ESTRELLA

Nanuet, NY

SEAN

D

MCSWEENEY

Huntington, NY

JONATHAN

C

BURLEY

Warwick, NY

CARLOS

J

ZAPATA

Howard Beach, NY

MARIO

A

ARCINIERGA

Coram, NY

NICHOLAS

A

CHARLEMAGNE

Wappingers Falls, NY

BENJAMIN

 

WAGER

Saratoga, NY

SAMUEL

G

PELUSO

Croton on Hudson, NY

CHRISTIAN

A

HOLMES

Hauppauge, NY

JULSSA

 

MARTINEZ-HERNANDEZ

Central Islip, NY

JESSICA

M

KELLEHER

Massapequa Park, NY

ROBERT

J

MATTONE

Mineola, NY

NIKOLE

R

WILLIAMS

Valley Stream, NY

MITCHEL

 

JIMENEZ

New York, NY

AIDEN

T

FELICE

Ronkonkoma, NY

JOEL

J

ESPINAL-GARCIA

Highland Falls, NY

Troop G

ZACHERY

S

LAWRENCE

Delanson, NY

CALEB

G

LAPINEL

Jefferson, NY

KYLE

A

JASENSKI

Rotterdam, NY

JAMES

H

OSTROWSKI

Greenwich, NY

RICHARD

D

AHIGIAN

Greenwich, NY

AIDEN

M

HICKEY

Saratoga Springs, NY

DYLAN

W

MORGAN

Brunswick, NY

IAN

B

MONTGOMERY

Cambridge, NY

NOAH

F

BATTUELLO

Ballston Lake, NY

COLLIN

J

SKIFF

Greenwich, NY

OMAR

 

GARCIA

Rensselaer, NY

GARRETT

T

MARCHIONE-BENEDICT

Valatie, NY

MATTHEW

P

LEGUIRE

Mariaville, NY

ZACHARIAS

G

HORST

Mayfield, NY

EVAN

G

CANDEE

Colonie, NY

JASON

P

VIGER

Gansevoort, NY

CAITLIN

R

NOLAN

Latham, NY

CARSON

J

MOESHER

Greenwich, NY

ETHAN

E

KEIDONG

Schoharie, NY

 

Troop K

DAYNA

J

SCOTT

Valatie, NY

JOSELYN

A

BARRERA

Bellmore, NY

JEREMY

A

GERDVIL

East Northport, NY

DEAN

J

PAOLILLO

Merrick, NY

ANTHONY

J

PANARESE

Briarcliff, NY

ELIZABETH

M

BRAHM

Schodack Landing, NY

MAKSYM

 

BRYKAILO

Staten Island, NY

AMANDA

L

OWENS

Hyde Park, NY

VINCENT

J

NEWMAN III

Yonkers, NY

MICHAEL

A

DILEGGE

Bay Shore, NY

THOMAS

D

DIAZ

New Hyde Park, NY

MICHAEL

R

EUBANKS

Islip, NY

THOMAS

L

CALANDRO JR

Verplanck, NY

RYAN

J

TAYLOR

North Babylon, NY

MIRELA

 

FAKO

Nanuet, NY

ANTHONY

T

TISO

Rye Brook, NY

MERVIN

L

LAWRENCE

Brooklyn, NY

RONAN

A

CRUZ

Riverhead, NY

MIGUEL

A

RODRIGUEZ

New Rochelle, NY

ALAYNAH

N

TROUTMAN

Valley Stream, NY

NICHOLAS

M

ABONDOLA

Mahopac, NY

HAMDERFFORD

 

LIZARDO-POLANCO

Washington Heights, NY

JOSEPH

A

ESPOSITO

Hauppauge, NY

PETER

A

SIEGEL

Riverhead, NY

HECTOR

O

MALDONADO JR

Ridgewood, NY

RYAN

 

SANCHEZ

New York, NY

DANIEL

S

STANG

Ancram, NY

ROBERT

E

BEAUDOIN

Ballston Lake, NY

ANTHONY

J

TROTTA

Holtsville, NY

JOMAILY

 

MORALES

Bronx, NY

 

Troop L

ALYSSA

M

PUGH

Massapequa, NY

ANTHONY

J

TARQUINIO

Smithtown, NY

KYLE

R

COLEMAN

Lindenhurst, NY

TIMOTHY

J

SAMMON

Breezy Point, NY

YOUSEF

 

KARIMZADA

Plainview, NY

CHRISTOPHER

 

LOPEZ

Ronkonkoma, NY

PATRICK

R

SOLOMITA

West Babylon, NY

KAMIL

F

ZAKHARY

Staten Island, NY

JAKE

J

GENNUSA

East Patchogue, NY

KEVIN

M

MAFFEI

Miller Place, NY

KYLE

J

MOHAHAN

Bohemia, NY

AHMAD

J

YAQUBI

Flushing, NY

MIKHAIL

A

ARMSTRONG

Queens, NY

MATTHEW

R

COLEMAN

Lindenhurst, NY

HUNTER

P

LYONS

East Islip, NY

ADRIANNA

C

SCHIAVONE

Seaford, NY

 

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