Home field advantage: NY State Police Troop C hopes to recruit and retain local troopers

Anthony Caratelli grew up wanting to follow in the footsteps of his police officer father, and he chose the New York State Police because, he said, it was the most "elite" law enforcement organization he knew.

Caratelli, who was born and raised in the Southern Tier, has been a state trooper for 11 years, and has spent his entire career serving the region where he grew up, starting in Norwich and now working out of the Greene barracks.

There are many advantages to serving on your home turf, said Caratelli, who lives in Bainbridge and "100%" plans to finish his law enforcement career in the area, including being close to family and friends, and knowing the territory you are patrolling.

"It's definitely an advantage," he said. "It helps to know the area. You know what you are looking for."

Keeping it local

Caratelli, who is also a drug recognition expert and a firearms instructor, is exactly the type of trooper state police Troop C officials are hoping to recruit more of.

New York State Police are conducting a statewide campaign to attract potential new troopers to the ranks, and in addition to boosting their diversity, Troop C officials are looking specifically for applicants who currently live in the seven Southern Tier counties they cover, including Broome, Tioga and Chenango.

"Many (recruits) come from downstate and Western New York. They often wind up here," said Troop C Commander Major Jeffrey VanAuken, himself a Broome County native.

The problem, according to VanAuken, is many of those troopers end up transferring back to their home regions, which is why Troop C wants to attract people who have local ties and will have a reason to stay in the Southern Tier.

"It's a great place to live. You can have a great career here," VanAuken said. "I grew up in Endicott and live in Endwell. My children go to school locally."

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A statewide perspective

Across New York, there are nearly 4,700 active state troopers. About 11% of those are women, 6% are Hispanic, 4% are Black, and 1% are Asian or Pacific Islander, according to state police statistics.

The numbers also show the number of people applying for jobs with the state police has declined over the past few years.

In March 2022, 227 new recruits graduated, out of a field of 1,700 candidates. There were 218 graduates in October 2022, chosen from 1,371 applicants.

In June 2023, the field of potential recruits dwindled to 1,222, with 238 chosen to go through the academy.

"We have seen some challenges with recruiting, such as more people wanting to work from home in a post-COVID environment," state police Acting Director of Public Information Deanna Cohen said in a statement.

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Not all recruits follow the same path Caratelli did to get into the force.

Trooper Aga Dembinska, Troop C public information officer, is a Buffalo native who joined the state police in 2014 and has been in the Southern Tier ever since.

"I had no desire to go back to Buffalo because there was so much beauty in the area and opportunity career-wise," Dembinska said. "I bought a home in the area four years ago, met my fiancé here. (I'm) not going anywhere."

Trooper Lauren Warner, who does recruiting for Troop C, started out as a teacher before making the career change.

"The message we want to get across is you don't need experience," said Warner, pointed to the training offered at the state police academy. "We're looking for people from all walks of life."

Warner also pointed out that New York recently made some changes to qualification requirements that should broaden the field of potential applicants.

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Among them is an increase in the maximum age to apply to become a trooper from 29 to 34. That upper limit can also be extended one year for each year of full-time active military duty, up to a maximum of seven years.

State police also amended the tattoo policy for recruits. Tattoos are now allowed as long as they are covered when a trooper is in uniform.

Other minimum qualifications for applicants include U.S. citizenship and a high school diploma or equivalent. Information on qualifications and the application process is available online at joinstatepolice.ny.gov.

The statewide recruitment campaign ends Sept. 30.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: NYSP recruiting: Why Troop C is looking for local prospects