Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces 216th Session Graduation from the State Police Basic School

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined Superintendent Steven G. James in honoring 176 new State Troopers as they graduated today from the 216th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany. Today’s graduation increases the State Police ranks to 5,034 sworn members.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Morning. The day has finally arrived. I can see it on the faces of the proud moms and dads and spouses and partners and even the little voices of babies who may not recognize the significance of this day right now, but someday in their future they will. I also want to say – one of the greatest decisions I made – one of the smartest ones – was enticing Superintendent Steven James to come out of retirement after serving our state for many, many decades, but I knew he had the leadership skills that I was looking for. Someone who could be my partner in fighting crime and protecting New Yorkers. And I want all of you to give him a huge round of applause for his leadership and his transformation of this organization.

Also recognize the Lieutenant Governor and Trooper Antonio M. Vecchio, our class representative. Lieutenant Steven P. Fountain, Reverend Christopher Carrara, and Imam Yaki. And members of the – our rabbis who've joined us here today, it's important to have clergy here as well. It's an important milestone in your lives, and they remind us of the presence of God in our lives, but also a place of comfort and solace to turn to when the job becomes so difficult. So, they're an important part of this ceremony, and sending you off.

Also, the other elected officials who've joined here. You have many supporters in our state assembly, in our state senate. I want to acknowledge them as well. But this day is not about us, the people on this stage. It's about all of you.

Today is a culmination, the achievement, the fulfillment of your dreams. Whether it started as a young child and maybe had a parent or a relative or a neighbor in this elite fighting force. Or whether it's something you came to later. Hopefully today is a day you'll never forget. It shouldn't be. Especially, as you look toward your career ahead of you. Just starting out, full of promise and opportunity. And a unique opportunity to serve people in their times of distress.

Law enforcement is not called when things are going really well. You're there in times of trauma and stress and tragedy. And just maintaining civility in our communities, which is the foundation of our democracy and our entire government. Without that, we cannot perform our jobs.

I want you to know as your governor, I recognize that and I appreciate it. So intensely. And what you have had to go through to be here today. Many wanted to be here, by the way. 8,000 fellow New Yorkers took the trooper test, hoping that they would be in your seats.

4,500 were processed, again, hopeful that they would be here, selected to be part of this elite institution. And only 176 men and women arrived at this point. Less than one percent of all those who want to be here. I want you to focus on that. And understand what a privilege it is. Yes, you worked hard. Yes, you wanted this. Yes, it will go through some of the training and the rigors and the sadness of separation from your family.

But, never take for granted the high honor, the privilege of serving others. It's something that reminds me every single day why I am humbled to be in this position. And I want you to carry that with you every single day.

It is a privilege to be a member of the New York State Police, and your families know that — the families who were willing to say goodbye on a Sunday night. I'm very close to members of the State Police, particularly those who are part of my detail — the detail are the ones who protect me every single day; have been for over 11 years — and I would ask them what it was like to be in the Academy. They said, “On Sunday nights, you felt like you were a kid going back to school again.” Kind of that sense of sadness, a little bit, because you were going to be separated from either your parents or family.

It was hard, and you went through a lot during that week: early wake up calls, the physically grueling exercises, the late night legal studies. It was intense, but you sure looked forward to those Friday nights when you could be reunited with your family again. But you knew it was an investment of your time, and energy and your passion that all paid off for you to be now in this most respected police force in our nation.

But as much as we honor you, I have to honor the families. I have to honor them because you're the ones, and especially the parents — any parents out there? Raise your hand if you're a parent. Oh, a lot of moms and dads. As the first Mom Governor of New York, I understand this. I know the influence that you've had on your children.

So, I'm going to just say this: if your kids go astray or get in trouble, sometimes they blame the parents — you should be taking credit for this; this is extraordinary. And maybe it was dinner time conversations, or a ride in the car on the way to a softball game, or a baseball practice, or you had the conversations with your child and instilled in them a love of country, a strong sense of patriotism, love of flag, love of our institutions, love of our military, love of our police forces, but also perhaps this love of service and what it really means to be willing to put yourself out there for strangers — people will never know you.

So I thank the families, and the loved ones, and the spouses, and partners and the children for your sacrifice because your sacrifice makes our State stronger, makes us better, more protected. And I hope you have a heart that's welling with pride, that someone you love and cherish is sitting before us today.

And I know there's a lot of protocols and you have to sit there real serious, but I want you to turn around and give your families a round of applause right now. That is a direct order if I can give that to you. Let's show the appreciation. You're allowed to do it, right? Am I allowed to let them do it?

Okay, you're allowed. Hey, come on. This is for your families.

You are clearly so well-trained and disciplined. I'm impressed, I'm impressed. Ignore what the Governor says — you listen to these guys, right? It's alright, it's alright. But, there's going to come a time when all this training is going to come to bear. You'll intuitively know what to do in a tough circumstance that the rest of us would have no clue.

It's a late night on a highway, it's been raining or snowing, and a car has gone off the road, and you go up to the window and you look inside, there's a frightened mom with a couple little kids, crying because they thought this is where their lives might have ended. And when you show up, you're that face of hope letting them believe again that they're going to be okay. There's something profoundly spiritual about that moment — because of where you are, because you chose to be there — that you can either save a life, or almost as importantly just give them the hope that they're going to be alright.

And sometimes, you're going to have to go talk to a family who has lost a child or loved one, a teenager to a drug overdose — something that happened to my own family — and your own emotions are going to be raw because you're also human beings.

But that family is going to need your courage and your kind words and your strength.

Or if you're up on the border and you're protecting us from drug traffickers or human traffickers coming across the border, I need you up there. I'm putting more money in my Budget to send more of you up there because what happens up there could have a direct impact on your communities in every corner of this State.

How many times, Superintendent James, I've called on you and said, “I need more help. We have too many guns on the streets. We have too many cars being stolen. Too many stores are being robbed. Can you give me reinforcements?” And we'll continue to give the intelligence tools you need. We've opened more crime intelligence centers, crime analyst centers, than ever before. We've quadrupled the money we've given to this force. We've increased the numbers. We've done everything we can to have more people part of this force. Because I know that you're the ones we call upon when we need help. So, I'll make sure you have all the tools you need. I'll make sure you have the reinforcements. Be proud of where you are today.

And I'm also going to send a message to people all over this country who are part of the FBI right now, who may be facing the loss of their jobs despite their training, despite their love of country. And I think about what the FBI does in all of our communities, the partnerships we have, and in New York City, they're on the front line working with my State Police to protect us from terrorism, domestic and abroad.

I'm going to extend an invitation to a member of the FBI who's looking for a job in the State of New York, you join us. It would be an honor for you to join us, and it would be an honor for us to have you. So I want to put that out there to anybody who's listening. Law enforcement, people who care about their community, who are willing to put themselves in harm's way are priceless to us — so special for what you do. Come join us. Be part of this elite group and you will not be disappointed.

Obviously, you can tell how proud I am of all of you. This is a big deal. It's a very big deal what you've achieved to be here today. And those who came before you want to be your mentors, help guide you the way. They care about you.

This is one of the most tightly knit communities in our entire state. Embrace that. Keep your humility, but know that this is something spectacular. What I only wish for you now is that God keeps you in his hands, protects you as you work every single day to protect all of us.

I never can extend the gratitude I feel in this moment to every single one of you, 176 people who are here today because of your hard work, your dedication, your love of this place, and may God bless the great State of New York and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you, everyone. Congratulations.