March 06, 2014

CONTACT:

deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, (718)595-6600

Department of Environmental Protection Promotes Two Police Veterans

DEP Police Protect Drinking Water Supply for more than Nine Million New Yorkers

Photos of the Promotion Ceremony Are Posted on DEP’s Flickr page

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the promotion of two environmental police officers during a ceremony at the Eastview Precinct in Mount Pleasant, N.Y. One detective and one officer were promoted to sergeant. The sergeants reside in Brooklyn and Rockland County. Since 2002, DEP has roughly doubled the size of its police division to its current 207 members, including 30 new members that went through the DEP Police Academy in 2013.

“DEP’s environmental police officers protect a vast system of reservoirs, aqueducts and key facilities that bring 1 billion gallons of clean drinking water to more than 9 million New Yorkers every day,” said Kevin McBride, DEP’s deputy commissioner for police and security. “The two sergeants we promoted today will help lead that important line of defense, and I congratulate them for having the commitment, skill and character that sustains our police force.”

The DEP Police Division was established more than 100 years ago and is charged with protecting the city’s water supply system, which includes over 2,000 square miles of watershed land spread over nine counties, hundreds of miles of tunnels and aqueducts, 7 upstate wastewater treatment plants, laboratories, and chlorination facilities.  DEP Police patrol the watershed by foot, bicycle, all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle, boat, helicopter and aircraft.  They also maintain specially trained units, including a Detective Bureau, Emergency Service Unit, Canine Unit, and Aviation Unit.

The following detective specialist was promoted to sergeant:

Sgt. Jose E. Rivera joined the DEP police in July 2002, and began his career on patrol out of the Hillview Precinct. In February 2007 he was selected for and transferred to the Special Operations Division, Emergency Service Unit and he was promoted to detective specialist in April 2013. Sgt. Rivera attended John Jay College for Criminal Justice.

The following environmental police officer was promoted to sergeant:

Sgt. Yolanda Moore joined the DEP police in July 2002, and began her career on patrol out of the Hillview Precinct. In August 2004 she was selected for a special assignment at NYPD Applicant Processing. In February 2006 she returned to the Hillview Precinct where she has remained active on patrol. Currently a department field training officer, Sgt. Moore attended John Jay College for Criminal Justice and majored in Legal Studies.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8.3 million in New York City, and residents of Ulster, Orange, Putnam, and Westchester counties. This water comes from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds that extend more than 125 miles from the City, and the system comprises 19 reservoirs, three controlled lakes, and numerous tunnels and aqueducts. DEP employs nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 scientists, engineers, surveyors, watershed maintainers and others professionals in the upstate watershed. In addition to its $68 million payroll and $157 million in annual taxes paid in upstate counties, DEP has invested more than $1.5 billion in watershed protection programs—including partnership organizations such as the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Watershed Agricultural Council—that support sustainable farming practices, environmentally sensitive economic development, and local economic opportunity. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program with over $14 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nycwater, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nycwater.