Key Takeaways
- The New York State Police (NYSP) is building a new technology team to support its mission-critical public safety systems and specific technology needs.
- The team will be led by Deputy Commissioner for Technology Mike Harrigan and will focus on NYSP operations, while still utilizing statewide shared services.
- The creation of the team reflects a broader shift in state government toward embedding technology staff more closely with the agencies they support.
- The team’s creation is part of a larger effort by New York’s Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) to better align tech support with the specific needs of individual agencies.
- The team will work on various projects, including the modernization of the NYSP trooper entrance exam application website.
Introduction to the New York State Police Technology Team
The New York State Police (NYSP) is in the early stages of building a new, dedicated technology team, which is part of a broader effort by New York’s Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) to better align tech support with the specific needs of individual agencies. This new team will be led by Deputy Commissioner for Technology Mike Harrigan, an ITS employee embedded within NYSP. The team’s primary focus will be on supporting the state police’s "mission-critical public safety systems" and specific technology needs.
The Role of the Technology Team
The agency’s new tech unit is being established to support the state police’s operations, and while statewide shared services will continue to support agencies across New York, the state police’s designated team will focus squarely on NYSP operations. The team is still in the hiring phase, and its scope will continue to evolve as it collaborates with NYSP leadership to determine which skills and capabilities are most critical at each stage. According to ITS Chief Communications Officer Scott Reif, "it’ll be a lot of different things," and the team’s responsibilities will be shaped through collaboration between Harrigan and NYSP leadership.
Projects and Initiatives
One of the first projects that the team will work on is the modernization of the NYSP trooper entrance exam application website through ITS. The current application experience, particularly on mobile devices, has become increasingly challenging, according to Harrigan and Reif, as more candidates begin the process on their phones, making usability and accessibility critical to recruitment. The effort spans design, development, systems integration, and ongoing support, and is one of the factors driving the decision to create a larger technology team. This project is just one example of the type of work that the team will be doing, and it highlights the importance of having a dedicated technology team that can focus on the specific needs of the NYSP.
Broader Shift in State Government
The creation of the technology team also reflects a broader shift in state government toward embedding technology staff more closely with the agencies they support, rather than relying solely on a centralized IT model. As Reif explained, "This hiring is consistent with our CIO’s strategic vision to strengthen the dedicated teams that support each agency." This approach allows for a more personalized and effective support system, as the technology staff can work closely with the agency to understand its specific needs and develop solutions that are tailored to those needs.
Hybrid Model
The new dedicated team structure is designed as a hybrid model, which preserves statewide shared services while integrating other agency expertise. As Reif said, "It marries the subject matter experts at those agencies with our technology staff," in overall support of each other and all New Yorkers. This approach allows for the best of both worlds, as the state can still utilize statewide shared services while also having dedicated technology teams that can focus on the specific needs of individual agencies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the creation of the New York State Police technology team is an important step forward in the state’s efforts to better align tech support with the specific needs of individual agencies. The team’s focus on supporting the state police’s mission-critical public safety systems and specific technology needs will help to ensure that the NYSP has the technology and support it needs to effectively carry out its mission. As the team continues to evolve and take shape, it will be interesting to see the types of projects and initiatives that it will work on, and how it will contribute to the broader efforts of the state government to utilize technology to improve public safety and other areas of government.
