A bill that would move New York closer to a unified statewide University Police force passed the state Senate in June, drawing support from the Police Benevolent Association of New York State as the proposal awaits further action.
The legislation, Senate bill 4707, is sponsored by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky and was approved by the Senate on June 4 during end-of-session voting. The union, which represents University Police officers, is urging the Assembly, Governor Kathy Hochul and SUNY to support the measure.
The proposal would affect University Police operations across 29 SUNY-protected campuses, including SUNY Cortland, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse and Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.
University Police officers enforce state laws within the boundaries of their assigned campuses, according to the PBA. The union said they are fully commissioned police officers and may assist local police with off-campus incidents and investigations.
What the bill would change
The PBA said centralizing SUNY-aligned police forces would standardize statewide leadership and hiring practices, computer-aided dispatch, digital evidence management, background checks and crime trend analysis.
Supporters of the change argue that University Police officers currently operate across multiple campus-based systems that do not always communicate efficiently with one another. The union said a centralized structure would allow a coordinated response to threats of violence, swatting incidents, social-media-driven challenges, copycat incidents, sexual assault and harassment cases, suspect descriptions and other law enforcement matters.
PBA of New York State President James McCartney said the goal is to improve readiness and response across New York's higher education institutions.
"As threats and acts of violence continue to plague campuses across the nation, a more connected and coordinated SUNY policing system will improve officer readiness and response at New York's higher education institutions," McCartney said in the announcement.
The union said University Police officers analyze incoming information and potential threats daily. It framed the proposal as a campus safety measure meant to help officers share information in real time and operate under a more consistent statewide structure.
Union cites campus safety concerns
The PBA pointed to recent University Police work as part of its argument for centralization, including a case at the University at Albany involving a person the union described as a serial SUNY campus stalker who had previously been arrested and convicted for similar offenses at SUNY Cortland in 2020.
PBA of New York State Executive Director Kurt Nolan said University Police officers also enforce New York's red-flag gun laws, including cases involving unlicensed owners, convicted felons, people accused of making serious threats and others who may have weapons removed before acting against campuses, faculty or students.
"The PBA of New York State looks forward to a future where University Police can carry out these gravely important tasks to their fullest abilities, instead of operating with one arm tied behind their backs," Nolan said in the announcement.
The union said the current system leaves officers working in what it called a communications vacuum across the 29 campuses protected by University Police. It said centralization would create a more standard approach to information sharing and threat analysis.
What happens next
An Assembly same-as bill did not advance out of committee during the 2025-26 legislative session, according to the PBA.
McCartney urged state leaders to move on the measure in 2027, saying delay would continue what the union views as inefficiency in the current system.
The PBA of New York State represents about 1,200 members of the New York State Agency Police Services Unit. Its membership includes University Police, Environmental Conservation Police, State Park Police and State Forest Rangers.
The list of University Police-protected campuses also includes University at Albany, Alfred State College, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, Buffalo State College, SUNY Canton, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Farmingdale State College, SUNY Fredonia, Maritime College, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Old Westbury, SUNY Oneonta, the College of Optometry, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Potsdam, Purchase College, Stony Brook University and SUNY System Administration.
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