The 1913 murder that forced a state to create a police force

History · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before 1917, New York lacked a centralized state police force. It took a specific, high-profile failure of local law enforcement—the murder of a construction foreman—to overcome intense political opposition and union fears, eventually leading to the creation of the New York State Troopers.

The establishment of the New York State Police (NYSP) was not an inevitable administrative evolution but a reactive response to a specific tragedy. In 1913, Sam Howell, a construction foreman in Bedford, Westchester County, was murdered. Despite Howell naming his suspects before his death, local police failed to make any arrests. This perceived failure of local jurisdiction served as the primary catalyst for state-level intervention.

The path to creation was fraught with political friction. During the early 1900s, various proposals for a state police force were met with significant opposition from trade unions. These organizations feared that a centralized state force would be weaponized against union organizing, citing the precedent of the Coal and Iron Police in Pennsylvania. It wasn't until March 1917 that the New York State Legislature finally passed the bill, appropriating $500,000 in funding, which Governor Charles Seymour Whitman signed into law on April 11, 1917.

The agency's early identity was shaped by its first superintendent, George Fletcher Chandler. He coined the term "New York State Troopers" and introduced the unconventional practice of officers carrying weapons exposed on their belts. The force has since expanded through various mergers, including the Long Island State Parkway Police in 1980 and the consolidation of the Capital Police in 1997. Today, the agency manages over 5,000 sworn troopers and 711 non-sworn members, maintaining a geographical structure of eleven "Troops" to patrol state highways and rural communities.

Modern operations are defined by high-tech forensics and specialized aviation. Since 1994, the agency has utilized DNA evidence, supported by a Forensic Investigation Center opened in 1996. Their fleet, operating under the call sign "GrayRider," includes a diverse array of helicopters and airplanes. Humanity's toll persists regardless of progress; between 1917 and 2024, 162 officers plus two K9s perished while on duty.

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