A state official confirmed that a retired state trooper who had headed former Governor Pataki's state police protection unit committed suicide. It was Berwick's 12-year-old daughter who found him in their Albany garage, "after disregarding a note left on the door telling her not to enter." Governor Pataki told the AP, "My family is just devastated. He was an ultimate professional who put his life on the line to protect us." The NY State Police......

Governor David Paterson explained possible rumormongering by the state police was why he admitted his extramarital affairs and drug use shortly after taking office. Yes--Paterson was essentially afraid of the NY State Police! When being interviewed on WFAN-AM and questioned about Spitzer administration's monitoring of State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's aircraft activity, Paterson said, "I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I will say this: That was also on my mind......

Yesterday, the Post reported about a strange and disturbing road rage incident in Red Hook last week. A woman was ultimately repeatedly hit by the driver of a Land Rover. According to police sources, on Thursday afternoon, the woman got out of her car to speak with 63-year-old Jeffrey Klempner, who was in his SUV at Columbia Street and Atlantic Avenue, "to talk to him about an earlier collision." Klempner "denied any wrongdoing," but when......

This morning, federal agents have arrested over 50 members of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno crime families in New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island. Authorities are calling this the "biggest mafia bust in more than 20 years." The Post reports the 80-count indictment includes charges of murder, labor racketeering, "racketeering conspiracy, extortion, , theft of union benefits, mail fraud, false statements, loan sharking, embezzlement of union funds, money laundering and illegal gambling." One......

A terrible accident in the Bronx: Police believe that an SUV on East Tremont was speeding around 4AM when it crashed into a telephone pole and flipped over. 1010WINS says the vehicle was "ripped apart" at Commonwealth Avenue. Three men were ejected from the SUV and pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth passenger, a woman, died at Jacobi Hospital. Over 34 million people are expected to be driving 50 miles or more during......

The New York International Auto Show opened its Javits Center doors to the press today. While lots of car manufacturers were showing off more environmentally friendly models, one activist group made its distrust of Toyota's claims known. Freedom From Oil had members scale the interior walls of the Javits to hang a sign spoofing the Toyota ad campaign. It reads: "The Truck That's Changing It All The Climate" and "Toyota: not an environmental leader."......

It won't be a White Christmas for some people. Yesterday, the Drug Enforcement Agency, along with the NYPD and NY State Police announced a tractor trailer carrying 1,045 pounds of cocaine bound for the Big Apple was seized in NJ. It was the biggest cocaine bust this year, with a street value of $42 million, and the truck was sitting next to a warehouse in Hackensack. From the DEA's press release: The narcotics were......

Residents in NY and Pennsylvania breathed a huge sigh of relief when Ralph "Bucky" Phillips surrendered to police last night. Phillips is wanted in the shootings of three state troopers - one of whom died from his injuries - during his many months on the lam after breaking out of an Eric County jail. Phillips had been added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list (the NY Times noted, "just three names down from......

The manhunt for Ralph "Bucky" Phillips, who escaped from an Erie County jail and shot three state troopers, may get some help from the NYPD. The NY Sun reports that the NYPD has been in discussion with the New York State Police to send over Emergency Service Unit officers (ESU is what the NYPD calls its SWAT unit) to aid in the manhunt. If you've been following coverage of Phillips' escape, you'll know that he......

If you'd like a heartwarming story for your afternoon, read how a dog found wandering in Queens is now training to be on the K-9 Unit of the NY State Police. Found when he was tied up in Kissena Park, Duke the dog made such an impression at Brooklyn Animal Care & Control that shelter operations manager pegged him as being perfect for the K-9 Unit. The state police, who have adopted a stray dog......