NYS Parks changes in the lower Hudson Valley region

[GTR8000]

As of last week, the Palisades 8F police units are now operating on the SP Haverstraw talkgroup of the Rockland system. That talkgroup is patched with TG 6008 of the Orange system.

The Park Rangers 8F6x units are still operating on TG 2121 of the Rockland system. 154.890 is still linked with TG 2121.

Not sure what is going on with the Taconic 8K units. Rumor has it that they were all assigned to Long Island, but that may not be the case. Those of you who normally monitor 158.775 and the Troop K VHF frequencies might want to listen for the 8K units and report back.

And of course anyone else throughout the state who normally monitors the NYS Parks VHF frequencies, feel free to report if the park police are still operating on those frequencies, or have moved to the State Police frequencies/talkgroups.

 

[asnhnetwork]

The New York State Park Police are suppossed to be disbaning and merginginto the New York State Police. This might be the first shift in that direction. Do you know if Troop L is also dispatching Troop NYC or is that possibly going to happen in the near future?

 

[paul]

Some information about the Park Police in this Albany Times Union article from June 2021.

With summer in full swing, state Park Police worry about their future

It remains unclear when the next training academy will be scheduled for new State Park...

www.timesunion.com

 

[GTR8000]

Do you know if Troop L is also dispatching Troop NYC or is that possibly going to happen in the near future?

How is that related to the Park Police? Troop NYC operates on the Metro-25 system separate from Troop L, so I'm not sure why they would dispatch them.

 

[KC2zZe]

A source still left within the State Park Police, as he awaits to retire just prior to the last plug being pulled, reports that there are no State Park Police resources left in New York City. State park coverage within the five boroughs is now done by the State Police.

 

[nyscan]

The move by the NYS Park Police Region 8 units to TG 2251 and leaving just the rangers on TG 2121 has me wondering.

The only rangers that I hear on TG 2121 identify as 8F6x. I assume they are NYS Public Safety Rangers and not DEC Forest Rangers who I believe identify as 7Nxx.

According to the NYS Park website the Public Safety Rangers are seasonal "generally from late May to Labor Day". As of now there is next to no traffic on TG 2121. So, a couple of questions:

- Where did the request to move the NYS Park Police to TG 2251 come from and what was the rationale?
- Will TG 2121 remain as a very limited use TG outside of the summer months?

Thanks in advance.

 

[GTR8000]

The majority of the 8F6x units are NYS Park Forest Rangers, who are OPRHP employees, not DEC (aka the 7Nxxx units). There are also a few seasonal NYS Public Safety Rangers, one or two of which may also use 8F6x identifiers. Although the job listing for the Park Forest Rangers refers to them as "seasonal", most of them work year-round in Region 8.

The Troop F bosses wanted the Park Police dispatched by Rockland 911 instead of Bear Mountain, and so the decision was made to move them to the SP Haverstraw talkgroup (2251). Since the Park Police are now under the jurisdiction of the NYSP, this was the most logical move, and it also means that the dispatchers don't have to monitor two talkgroups.

The Park Police and SP Haverstraw units still have access to the Bear Mountain talkgroup (2121), and so that can be used for whatever purpose suits it. Probably won't hear a ton of activity now that peak season is over, but that will remain the primary talkgroup for comms between the Bear Mountain dispatcher (when on duty) and the Park Forest Rangers. You may also hear the Park Police on that talkgroup from time to time.

Note that the Park Forest Rangers also have access to the SP Haverstraw talkgroup, and so at times when no dispatcher is on duty at Bear Mountain, they'll be on that talkgroup communicating with Rockland 911 (aka "Headquarters").

https://flic.kr/p/t7TNLJ

 

[nyscan]

Thanks GTR.

 

[GTR8000]

PS - TG 2121 should be pretty active this weekend for the Toughman Triathlon at Lake Welch. That's what I meant by the TG is still available for whatever purpose the Parks needs it for, such as getting events/detail traffic off of TG 2251.