New York State University Police at SUNY ESF

Our Story

The New York State University Police was formed in response to growing unrest in the SUNY system during the mid-1960s. Demonstrations and protests against the Vietnam War, the growing drug use, questioning authority, and various political movements and demonstrations contributed to the formation of today's State University Police. Several incidents during the 1990s emphasized the need for a full service police agency. These included a hostage-taking in a University at Albany lecture hall by a deranged gunman, the "Bike Path Ra**st" who killed a female student at the University at Buffalo and the suspicious circumstances regarding the disappearance of a University at Albany student while on campus. These and other incidents moved the Governor and Legislature to create the New York State University Police in 1999. Officers have the same powers of arrest as all other police officers in the state. New York State now has the largest concentration of university police officers in the country with nearly 800 members across 29 SUNY campuses.

The New York State University Police (ESF) has 10 fully sworn Police Officers. Our highly trained officers are on duty 24/7, patrolling property and roadways on and adjacent to the campus. While on patrol University Police is responsible for the enforcement of Federal, State, and local laws. We also work side by side with our partners in the Division of Student Affairs to assist them with student compliance of the SUNY Student Code of Conduct. Lastly, University Police works closely with local law enforcement in an effort to cooperate and share information in order to investigate and solve crimes

Citizens should call 470-6666/6667 for all campus emergencies, or pick up any emergency blue light phone (located throughout campus) to be directly connected to the University Police Communications Center. If calling from a landline on campus you may dial 911. You can also dial 911 from your cell phone if requesting emergency services on campus. However, 911 is a county service center which will relay the call to our Communications Center

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