Cazenovia College will get a breath of new life after being selected as the site for the new State Police Auxiliary Academy.
Facing growing financial concerns, Cazenovia College announced in December 2022 that this spring's commencement ceremony would be its last. The college and Village of Cazenovia are exploring permanent options for repurposing the campus but for now, it will be used for two additional State Police classes.
A statement from Governor Kathy Hochul’s office announced that the state would be leasing space at the college to accommodate up to 275 State Police recruits and 115 instructors. The academy will instruct Basic School classes while firearm and emergency vehicle operations courses will continue to be held at already established facilities.
In the statement, acting New York State Police Superintendent Steven Nigrelli said the academy will help create a highly trained workforce and Cazenovia offered the most central location.
"This auxiliary academy is vital to our efforts in growing our ranks and training the most qualified candidates possible to protect the people of New York State,” Nigrelli said. “We have traveled across the state over the last seven months, and explored multiple locations, and we feel the Cazenovia College campus provides a central location within New York and is best suited to meet the needs of our Basic School training.”
The state is leasing a majority of the main campus space for the academy according to Tim Greene, the executive director of communications and marketing at Cazenovia College
“The state is leasing most of the main campus bounded by Sullivan Street to the west and Lincklaen Street to the east,” Greene said.
Assemblymember Albert Stirpe, Jr. said the academy will provide new economic opportunities for the area.
"The excellent choice of the Cazenovia College Campus is a win for both the police academy and for the Cazenovia community,” Stirpe said. “The campus facilities match the needs of the auxiliary State Police academy class expansion and the academy provides economic activity and opportunity for the village, town and region."
In a statement with Cazenovia College, Village of Cazenovia Mayor Kurt Wheeler said the academy is a good thing for the community as they continue to explore future, permanent options for the campus.
“We welcome the New York State Police to the Cazenovia community,” Wheeler said. “This is a positive step in the repurposing of the college campus for ongoing educational and training use while at the same time providing a two-year window for further exploration of a more permanent transition of the campus at the heart of our village.”
The first Basic School class at Cazenovia College is scheduled to begin October 2023.
