NEW YORK (WKBW) — In a recent announcement, Governor Kathy Hochul has put forth the nomination of Steven G. James for the position of Superintendent of the New York State Police.
According to the governor’s office, James, the current Acting Superintendent, has been a part of the NYSP for an impressive 32 years. His extensive experience includes roles such as Deputy Superintendent for Employee Relations, Assistant Deputy Superintendent, Staff Inspector, Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Senior Investigator, Sergeant, Investigator, and Trooper. James also holds a B.S. in Psychology from SUNY Albany and a master’s degree in public administration from Marist College.
As Governor Hochul stated, James will continue to lead the NYSP in an acting capacity while he awaits Senate confirmation.
“I am deeply honored by this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Governor Hochul’s nomination is the pinnacle of my career and I am acutely aware of the privilege I have been given. I am eager to guide the State Police towards innovative policing strategies and to establish us as a leading agency.”
If confirmed, James would be the first permanent superintendent since Kevin Bruen, who was nominated by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and confirmed by the New York State Senate as the 17th Superintendent of NYSP in June 2021.
Bruen stepped down from the NYSP on October 19, 2022. As reported by the Albany Times Union in October 2022, his resignation was amidst an investigation into alleged misconduct by the governor’s office. The WHNY News I-Team was concurrently conducting an investigation into the disciplinary records of the New York State police.
Following Bruen’s resignation, Western New York native and First Deputy Superintendent Steven Nigrelli took over as Acting Superintendent on a temporary basis.
Nigrelli announced his retirement in September 2023. As per a report by the Albany Times Union, allegations of harassment and mistreatment of employees, including women, were made against Nigrelli. These allegations, which led to a state report on workplace discrimination, allegedly resulted in Governor Hochul informing Nigrelli that he was no longer being considered for the superintendent position.
The New York State Office of Employee Relations, which was responsible for the investigation, declined to comment to WHNY News at the time of the report.
A spokesperson for Hochul confirmed that her office had decided against appointing Nigrelli as the permanent superintendent, but did not comment on the investigation.
In a statement to WHNY News in September 2023, Nigrelli strongly denied the allegations of harassment and abuse towards State Police employees.
“To avoid becoming a distraction to the exceptional men and women of our agency and our mission to serve the public, I chose to retire,” Nigrelli stated. “After 33 years of dedicated service, including the last 5 years in Albany, I am excited to return to WNY, the community I love and consider home.”
Terrible appointment, she should have chosen someone with more experience #disagree