New York City Police Department Highway Patrol
| New York City Police Department Highway Patrol | |
|---|---|
| Common name | NYPD Highway Patrol |
| Abbreviation | NYPD HWY |
Patch of the New York City Police Department Highway Patrol
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Flag of the New York City Police Department
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| Motto |
Fidelis ad Mortem Faithful till Death |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1911 |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | City of New York in the state of New York, USA |
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| Map of New York City Police Department Highway Patrol's jurisdiction. | |
| Size | 1,214.4 km² |
| Population | 8,274,527 |
| Legal jurisdiction | New York City |
| General nature |
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| Specialist jurisdiction | Highways, roads, and-or traffic. |
| Operational structure | |
| Officers |
250–450 Police Officers 30–60 Auxiliary Police Officers |
| Police Commissioner responsible | James P. O'Neill |
| Agency executive | Inspector Steven D'Ulisse, Commanding Officer |
| Parent agency | New York City Police Department |
| Boroughs |
List
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| Facilities | |
| Commands |
5
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| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
250–450 Police Officers
The New York City Police Department Highway Patrol, also known as the NYPD Highway Patrol or by the shorthand NYPD HWY, is a specialized unit under the auspices of the NYPD's Transportation Bureau primarily responsible for patrolling and maintaining traffic safety on limited-access highways within New York City. The NYPD Highway Patrol's other duties and roles include accident investigations, advanced driver and radar training for NYPD officers, field sobriety testing, dignitary and parade escorts, hazardous material and truck traffic enforcement, anti-drag racing programs, and anti-terrorist checkpoints at key bridges and intersections in the city.
The NYPD Highway Patrol's origins begin in 1911 with the formation of the NYPD's first motorcycle squad, which was formed to meet the challenges of handling increasing traffic danger concomitant with the rise of automobile use. The unit—then simply known as the Motorcycle Squad—was enlarged as automobile traffic and speeding arose as major problems for the city, and in 1929, the unit was expanded to include armored motorcycles for use in anti-gang activities by the NYPD.
In 1933, the unit expanded to include a formally designated "Grand Central Parkway Motorcycle Squad" for patrol on a limited-access highway.
Until 1972, the unit remained primarily focused on the Motorcycle Squad, when in that year the motorcycle division was merged with the NYPD's Accident Investigation Squad to officially form the NYPD Highway Patrol. The Highway Patrol patch was created, however, five years later in 1977.
The NYPD Highway Patrol is divided into four sub-units:
Highway Unit #4 in Midtown Manhattan Disbanded September 2010
Highway Patrol also includes:
In addition to the vehicular distinctions between the Highway Patrol and the general NYPD, there are differences in the uniforms as well. Aside from the Highway Patrol patch, Highway Patrol officers wear a uniform designed for both practical use and with traditional connections with motorcycle patrol duty in mind. In comparison with most NYPD officers' plain slacks or cargo pants, Highway Patrol members wear tapered motorcycle breeches with a 1-inch wide light blue braided stripe combined with a 1/2-inch wide reflective white stripe, as well as a "crushed"-style version of the NYPD's eight-point cap or a two-toned motorcycle helmet. Motorcycle or riding boots are worn whether an officer is assigned to motorcycle duty or not, excepting those assigned to NYPD Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Safety Unit details; NYPD Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Safety Unit officers wear regular black work boots or low quarters, cargo pants, jumpsuit, and nylon jacket. The Highway unit is also one of only two units within the NYPD allowed to wear leather jackets, as these jackets are better able to prevent injuries from motorcycle crashes. Additional unique uniform features are the unit's use of a Sam Browne belt, sidearm lanyards, and a specialized summons book pouch on their belt. The uniform and vehicle distinctions help give the Highway Patrol unit an elite look and prominent presence within the department.
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Wikipedia