State troopers union lauds passage of paid leave bill 

State legislators have passed a bill that would establish a critical leave policy for State Police officers involved in dangerous use of force incidents.

The legislation, which awaits Governor Hochul’s signature to become law, would provide troopers and other members of the State Police division with 20 days paid leave after the use of deadly force in any incident that led to the death or serious injury of another person.

It would also provide officers who were involved in a critical incident but weren’t the direct cause of the death or serious injury with 15 days paid leave.

The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association applauded the legislation, stating that having paid leave would allow troopers to have the time to process deadly and critical incidents and return to work more safely.

“Troopers by nature put others first, sometimes risking their own physical and mental well-being to ensure they fulfill their mission to keep all New Yorkers safe,” New York State Troopers PBA President Charles Murphy said in a statement. “This legislation would ensure that in acting selflessly and bravely to protect others, Troopers are not forced to deal with the added stress of returning to work before they have had time to fully process the aftereffects of critical incidents.” 

The union highlighted that state troopers currently face significant burnout, with the rate of retirement up 520 percent since 2006.

Studies have shown that police officers have higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and a higher risk of suicide than the general population. A study by The Journal of Psychiatric Research found that officers killing or seriously injuring someone was “significantly associated” with PTSD symptoms.

The critical leave bill, sponsored by Senator Jeremy Cooney and Assembly Member Patrick Burke, would be the most comprehensive in the nation, according to the union — although there are some critical leave standards in Kentucky and Texas, these vary by department.

“Our New York State Troopers are dedicated public servants who work diligently to protect our communities,” Cooney said. “With this bill, we will be giving them the mental health support they deserve after experiencing horrific events, giving them the time to properly heal. I hope that this bill will become a national model for how we address mental health issues and support our law enforcement agencies.”

Patrick called the legislation “groundbreaking.”

“We need to provide better, more holistic care for police, firefighters, other first responders and veterans. It’s the hard work and collaborative efforts of the Troopers PBA that led to this historic legislation,” he said.

Organizations advocating mental health awareness, including the Mental Health Association in New York State and the National Health Alliance for New York State, also backed the bill.

“Members of the State Police, like everyone, deserve the ability to care for their mental health. Unfortunately, those in public safety often face traumatic events,” said James Norton, the government and community affairs manager at NAMI’s New York chapter. “The critical incident leave gives State Police Officers time to seek support, build resilience, and destress, before returning to work. NAMI NYS will continue to advocate for frontline wellness, eliminate stigma, and remove common barriers to those seeking support.”

clewis@thechiefleader.com