Department of Environmental Protection Holds Graduation Ceremony for 31 New DEP Police Officers

March 6, 2026

DEP Police Protect New York City's Drinking Water Supply Systems Throughout the Catskills and Lower Hudson Valley

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia today announced the graduation of 31 new Environmental Police Officers (EPOs) from the Staff Sgt. Robert H. Dietz DEP Police Academy in Kingston, New York. The new EPOs will be immediately deployed joining the DEP Police force to protect the 2,000-square-mile city's water supply system and will have the responsibility for safeguarding the watershed land and infrastructure in nine counties throughout the Catskills and lower Hudson Valley.

"Protecting the quality and integrity of the water supply for nearly 10 million New Yorkers is a responsibility that demands exceptional dedication, and these 31 new Environmental Police Officers are stepping into that critical mission with pride," said Commissioner Garcia. "From patrolling 2,000 square miles of watershed to safeguarding key infrastructure, they join us as both protectors and environmental stewards. We're excited to add them to our ranks within the DEP Police."

The Environmental Police Academy was launched in 2002 as the first-of-its-kind in the nation to provide training, experience and concentrated course work in advanced environmental stewardship and protection. The new graduates, who live in 16 different counties, have successfully completed a total of 31 weeks of instruction in which they underwent intense training in counterterrorism, environmental protection, police science, the use of firearms and defensive tactics. In addition, recruits completed courses in environmental conservation laws, land navigation, fish and wildlife, and watershed protection.

Today's graduation ceremony took place at the Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston and, in addition to Commissioner Garcia, was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Ari L. Maas, Chief of Department Frank J. Milazzo, Deputy Chief Brian C. Handy, and Inspector Justin R. Kight.

The graduating class named EPO Brandon Rivera as the class leader, and EPO Danielle Gorat, EPO Evan Ashley, EPO Andrew Schmidt, EPO Alejandro Gamboa, and EPO Andrew Krueger as squad leaders. During the graduation ceremony, awards were presented for outstanding performance during training. EPO Josiah Santiago received the Physical Fitness Award; and EPO Ciaran Mercer received the Academic Proficiency Award, EPO Michael Phillips Jr. received the Firearms Proficiency Award, and EPO Josiah Santiago received the Sergeant William R Kresser Award, recognizing the best overall officer.

The complete list of graduates and their home counties:

Evan Ashley, Nassau; Liam Boyle, Bronx; Keevin Clarke, Brooklyn; Raymond Dyer, New York; Keely Fell, Ulster; Carlo Fragola, Bronx; Alejandro Gamboa, Bronx; Gabriel Gibson, Suffolk; Brandon Giedra, Westchester; Danielle Gorat, Schoharie; Henry Knierim, New York; Andrew Krueger, Richmond; Jerin Kuttickattu Jacob, Kings; Kelly Lynch, Putnam; Daniel Martinez, Putnam; Christopher Martz, Westchester; Ciaran Mercer, Nassau; Arnan Murphy, Rockland; Christopher Nolan, Suffolk; Cori O'Donoghue, Queens; Michael Phillips, Dutchess; Joseph Riotta, Richmond; Brandon Rivera, Rockland; Santos Rodriguez, Bronx; Henson Romero, Nassau; Delmont Ruiz, Kings; Josiah Santiago, Bronx; Andrew Schmidt, Orange; Katerina Shatalov, Putnam; Paul Spagnoli, Queens; Brandon Wright, Delaware.

DEP manages New York City's water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality water each day to nearly 10 million New Yorkers. This includes more than 70 upstate communities and institutions in Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties which consume an average of 110 million total gallons of drinking water daily from New York City's water supply system. This water comes from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds that extend more than 125 miles from the City and are comprised of 19 reservoirs, three controlled lakes, and numerous tunnels and aqueducts. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 scientists, engineers, surveyors, watershed maintainers and other professionals in the upstate watershed. In addition to its $92 million payroll for water supply staff, and $165 million in annual property and school taxes paid in counties throughout the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions, DEP has invested more than $3 billion in watershed protection programs since 1997-including on partnership organizations such as the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Watershed Agricultural Council that support sustainable farming practices, environmentally sensitive economic development, and local economic opportunity. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X.