Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department
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| Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Common name | Roosevelt Island Public Safety |
| Abbreviation | R.I.P.S.D. |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Roosevelt Island, New York, USA |
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| Map of Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department's jurisdiction | |
| Legal jurisdiction | New York State |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Public Safety officers | 40 |
| Parent agency | Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department (RIPSD) is a law enforcement agency in New York City that provide safety and security service to residents of Roosevelt Island, and the Manhattan and Roosevelt Islands stations of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, because of the contract that the State of New York made with New York City in 1968 which gave New York State a 99-year lease on the land.
Overview
The department is Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation's law enforcement arm and protects the island's property including all facilities, storefronts and patrols certain contracted residential buildings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the New York City Police Department is responsible for providing policing service on Roosevelt island. Roosevelt island Public Safety officer's enforce state and city laws on the island. The department has approximately 40 Public Safety officers. They patrol an area which is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) in length (north to south) and 800 feet (240 m) at its largest width, which is East to West. On September 21, 2009, the department opened their new command center located at 550 Main Street. The Main command center monitors 24-hour island-wide camera system and every vehicle that comes onto Roosevelt Island. As well as cameras on the Manhattan side of the tram, along the route and inside the tram cars. Also Public Safety officers monitor cameras in the Roosevelt Landings housing Complex.
Equipment and uniforms
Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officers are not authorized to carry firearms as per NYS CPL. Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officers wear dark blue uniforms with patches on the front and back as well as the Roosevelt Island Department of Public Safety patches on their arms.[1] bullet resistant vest, a can of pepper spray, expandable PR-24 baton, flashlight and a digital radio that is directly linked to the Central Dispatcher and other Public Safety officers. The department uses marked vehicles. The department also has an Anti Crime Unit with officers in plain clothes, Bike Patrol officers. All officers are trained in basic life support.
Power and authority
Roosevelt Island public safety officers are certified New York State Peace Officers. Officers can make warrantless arrests, issue summonses such as NYC Parking Violations, NYS and NYC Criminal Court summonses, Environmental Control Board summonses, and use physical force when necessary.
Training
Roosevelt Island public safety officers complete a Peace Officers course which includes training in law, police science, powers of a peace officer, self-defense/tactics, arrest procedures and basic life support/CPR. Also an additional 8 weeks of Field Training, in which new officers must satisfactory complete in part of their supplemental training. For those seeking the certification, Bicycle Training.
History
When the island was first developed/opened to the public for housing by the "Roosevelt Island Development Corp", security on the island was handled by security guards contracted by "RIDC". The firm was City Security Guards Inc. from 1976–1978. Then in 1978 the contract was terminated and a full service police force was formed and law enforcement was handled by the Roosevelt Island Police Department (RIPD) from 1979–1981. In 1981 a name change happened and RIDC transferred all officers to the "NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal Police" (NYS DHCR Police) from 1981 to approx. 1985. Both police departments were staffed by peace officers, and members had statewide jurisdiction and powers both on and off duty. Officers were armed with standard issue .38 special revolvers. Originally, RIPD/DHCRPD had state jurisdiction since they were employed as state officers. In 1984, the "Roosevelt Island Operating Corp." was formed and all island operations were transferred to it. Not long after that (in 1985) the DHCR Police were disbanded and Officers/Sergeants/Lieutenants/Captains could remain as Security Guards for "RIOC" or could join other Law Enforcement agencies. The officers who stayed were now part of RIOC Security, with no special patrolman status, no guns, and security type uniforms. Then about a year or two later, after residents demanded a more professional, police-type force, RIOC formed the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department. Their first patrol cars were red Ford Jeeps and uniforms were changed to NYPD-style uniforms. They were given New York State Peace Officer powers and certain equipment but were still unarmed. The RIPD [1979-1981] cars looked like the Port Authority's police cars. They were blue with yellow tops and gray lines with the words "Roosevelt Island Police" written in red lettering, The color was changed in 1980 to white and a van was added. Then they switched from RIPD to a name change of NYS DHCR Police [1981–1985]. Those cars looked like modern day state trooper cars. Same graphics, colors, (actually, instead of navy blue the cars were black with gold stripes) and where it says "State Trooper" it said "DHCR POLICE". In 1986, in the wake of a major news story on a duplication of services by a town police department in upstate New York, then-Governor Mario Cuomo started an investigation on duplicated services for police departments, and since Roosevelt Island was in New York City, the New York City Police Department is the responsible Policing agency on the island, Cuomo then disbanded about 15 police departments total in the state, with DHCRPD being one. RIOC concurred with this move in order to have autonomy of their own Public Safety Department. At present, their vehicles are SUV's.
Rank structure
There are six titles (referred to as ranks) in the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department:
| Title | Insignia | Uniform Shirt Color |
|---|---|---|
| Director (Chief) |  |
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| Deputy Director (Deputy Chief) |  |
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| Captain |  |
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| Lieutenant |  |
Dark Blue: patrol |
| Sergeant |  |
|
| Public safety officer |
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The RIOC Public Safety Department is a unique part of a unique community. We are an on-site neighborhood patrol force unlike any other in New York and, in fact, we were in the forefront of what is now standard Community Policing.
As Peace officers, we work in partnership with Roosevelt Islanders to make our Island as safe, and as pleasant a place to live as we can. We are a diverse group of men and women who strive to be representative of, and sensitive to, the community in which we work.
