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Criminal Justice Policy Boards and Commissions
The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) supports six advisory boards and commissions, members of which are appointed by the governor. These boards formulate public policy, develop strategic plans and advise the DCJS commissioner, governor and legislators in areas of DNA, juvenile justice, motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud prevention, police training and accreditation, and security guard training.
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Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG)
Federal law requires all states to establish an advisory group to oversee the strategic planning and federal grant funding allocation to organizations that address juvenile delinquency and prevention issues. The Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG) is required to have between 15 and 33 members who must have training, experience, or special knowledge in the areas of prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency or the administration of juvenile justice.
With DCJS staff support, the JJAG finalizes New York’s Three-Year Juvenile Justice Plan, which identifies funding priority areas. Federal juvenile justice funds are used as seed money to establish and support new and innovative projects that seek to measurably reduce juvenile crime, promote individual accountability, enhance public protection, and prevent delinquency through positive youth development.
JJAG Members:
Chair: Edward Fergus-Arcia, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Euphemia S. Adams, Chief Executive Director
Families on the Move
Staten Island, New York
Joseph J. Cocozza, Ph.D., Director (Retired)
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Delmar, New York
Brendan J. Cox, Chief (Retired)
Albany Police Department
Albany, New York
Michelle A. Diaz
Youth Member
Mike C. Green, Executive Deputy Commissioner
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Albany, New York
Niasha Hamilton
Youth Member
Hon. Martha Walsh Hood, Supervising Judge
Family Courts in the Fifth Judicial District
Syracuse, New York
Precious Lugo
Youth Member
Robert M. Maccarone, Esq., Deputy Commissioner and Director
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Albany, New York
Hon. Edwina G. Mendelson, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives
New York State Unified Court System
New York, New York
Pamela L. Neubeck, Chief Attorney (Retired)
Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc.
Buffalo, New York
Sheila J. Poole, Commissioner
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Albany, New York
Meredith Ray-LaBatt, MA, MSW, Deputy Director
New York State Office of Mental Health
Albany, New York
Karen Y. Richmond, Executive Director
Children’s Home of Jefferson County
Watertown, New York
Allen Riley, Commissioner
New York State Commission of Corrections
Albany, New York
Emily Tow, President
The Tow Foundation
New Canaan, Connecticut
Jason Williams
Youth Member
Lester W. Young, Jr., Member
New York State Board of Regents
Brooklyn, New York
As of 11/2019
Motor Vehicle Theft & Insurance Fraud Prevention Board (MVTIF)
The 12-member New York Motor Vehicle Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Board oversees a demonstration program that supports initiatives designed to reduce motor vehicle theft and related motor vehicle insurance fraud. The program provides state funds to support police and prosecutors in communities with high incidents of motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud, allowing those jurisdictions to support specialized law enforcement strategies to combat the crimes.
The Board has representation from the motor vehicle insurance industry and consumers, law enforcement agencies, and the judicial system. The Board also develops an annual plan with recommendations on how to reduce motor vehicle theft and motor vehicle insurance fraud statewide.
Board Members:
Chair: Michael C. Green, Executive Deputy Commissioner
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Albany, New York
Kristina L. Baldwin, Vice President
Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
Albany, New York
District Attorney Richard A. Brown
Queens County
Kevin Gallagher
National Insurance Crime Bureau
Patchogue, New York
Edmund Golat
Progressive Group of Insurance Companies
Staten Island, New York
Thomas Higgins
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
Albany, New York
Joseph Kenny, Deputy Chief
NYPD Detective, Borough Queens South
Fresh Meadows, New York
James E. Potts, Jr.
New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Cooperstown, New York
As of 6/2018
Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Council (LEAAC)
The Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Program began in 1989 and is designed to be a progressive and contemporary way of helping police agencies evaluate and improve their overall performance. The program has four principle goals: to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies utilizing existing personnel, equipment and facilities to the extent possible; to promote increased cooperation and coordination among law enforcement agencies and criminal justice agencies; to ensure the appropriate training of law enforcement personnel; and to promote public confidence.
The 17-member Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Council provides overall direction for the program by issuing standards and setting policy; the Council also has exclusive authority to grant accreditation status.
Council Members:
Chief Gregory Austin
Village of Rye Brook Police Department
Sgt. Louis Dini
Suffolk County Police Department
Sheriff Robert Maciol
Oneida County Sheriff's Office
Mayor Robert Palmieri
City of Utica
Supervisor Edmond J. Theobald
Town of Manlius
Sheriff Barry Virts
Wayne County Sherriff’s Office
Richard A. Wells, President
Police Conference of New York
Professor Rob E. Worden
University at Albany
Ex officio members:
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea
New York Police Department
Acting Superintendent Keith Corlett
New York State Police
As of 12/2019
Security Guard Advisory Council (SGAC)
DCJS is required to oversee the training and registration of security guards and to certify private security training schools.
The seventeen-member Security Guard Advisory Council addresses program and policy requirements and recommends rules and regulations to the DCJS Commissioner concerning: approval or revocation of security guard training schools and training programs; the minimum courses of study and all training requirements to be fulfilled by schools; the minimum qualifications for instructors at approved security guard training schools and training programs; and training requirements for unarmed and armed security guards.
The DCJS Office of Public Safety provides administrative oversight for private security training in New York State, while the New York State Department of State is responsible for licensing security guards.
Council Members:
Chair: Robert S. Tucker
T&M Protection Resources
New York City
Nicholas M. Auletta, President
TruView BSI, LLC
Hicksville, New York
Bruce H. Hulme, President
Special Investigations, Inc.
New York City
Jessica A. Johnson, President
Johnson Security Bureau, Inc.
Bronx, New York
Anthony Lauro, Assistant Vice President
Macerich Security Services, Inc.
Elmhurst, New York
Edward S. Lentol, President
Edward S. Lentol & Associates, Ltd.
South Richmond Hill, New York
U. Nicholas Michailides
Security Consultant
Patterson, New York
Matthew Ventura
Atlas Security Services
Goshen, NY
David E. Zeldin, President and CEO
Investicorp, Inc.
Bellmore, New York
Ex-Officio members:
Rossana Rosado, Secretary
New York State Department of State
Michael C. Green, Executive Deputy Commissioner
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
As of 05/2021
Commission on Forensic Science
The 14-member Commission is empowered to develop minimum standards and a program of accreditation for all public forensic laboratories in New York State. Accreditation of a forensic DNA laboratory is granted through the seven-member DNA Subcommittee, which also advises the Commission on any matter related to the implementation of scientific controls and quality assurance procedures for the performance of forensic DNA analysis.
Commission Members:
Chair: Michael C. Green, Esq., Executive Deputy Commissioner
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Albany, New York
Pasquale Buffolino, Ph.D.
Nassau County Office of the Medical Examiner
East Meadow, New York
Lydia de Castro
New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
New York, New York
Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent
New York State Police
Albany, New York
Jill Dooley, Ph.D.
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Albany, New York
William J. Fitzpatrick, Esq., District Attorney
Onondaga County
Syracuse, New York
David Loftis, Esq.
Legal Aid Society
New York, New York
Angela M. Mazzarelli, Associate Justice, Appellate Division
New York, New York
Scott D. McNamara, Esq., District Attorney
Oneida County
Utica, New York
Scott O’Neill, Ph.D.
New York City Police Department
Queens, New York
Benjamin Ostrer, Esq.
Ostrer & Associates
Chester, New York
Anne C. Walsh, Ph.D., M.D.
New York State Department of Health
Albany, New York
Ann M. Willey, Ph.D., J.D.
Chatham, New York
Ex-officio:
Howard Zucker, J.D., M.D., Commissioner
New York State Department of Health
Albany, New York
DNA Subcommittee Members:
Chair: Bruce Weir, Ph.D.
Seattle, Washington
Katherine Butler Gettings, Ph.D.
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Frederick Bieber, Ph.D.
Boston, Massachusetts
Allison Eastman, Ph.D.
Albany, New York
Kenneth Kidd, Ph.D.
New Haven, Connecticut
Jenifer Smith, Ph.D.
Washington, DC
Amanda Sozer, Ph.D.
Alexandria, Virginia
As of 12/2019
Municipal Police Training Council (MPTC)
The eight-member Municipal Police Training Council (MPTC) promulgates minimum training requirements for newly-appointed police and peace officers and a course of training for police officers appointed to supervisory positions. It also recommends rules and regulations for minimum standards for law enforcement and correctional training programs; instructor certifications and develops and approves law enforcement model policies designed to enhance the way local law enforcement agencies serve and protect their communities.
Council Members:
Chair: Sheriff Ronald G. Spike
Yates County
Superintendent George P. Beach II
New York State Police
John M. Klofas, Ph.D
Rochester, New York
R. Bruce McBride, Ed.D
State University of Albany
Chief Timothy Parisi
Ilion Police Department
Chief David Zack
Cheektowaga Police Department
As of 6/2018
New York's Open Meetings Law recognizes your right to watch your government perform public business. Now, you can monitor what we do at DCJS, view meetings in real-time and even recall sessions that you missed. A schedule of upcoming meeting webcasts and links to archived meetings can be found on the DCJS Open Meeting web page.