Rusin promoted to deputy chief of Syracuse Police Department

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A member of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) since 2006 is now serving as its deputy chief of police. 

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile promoted Mark Rusin to the role, the City of Syracuse announced Aug. 4. Rusin most recently served as detective sergeant. 

Rusin is known in the police department and the community for his work on the implementation of the department’s body-worn camera program, updated department policies and procedures, and police-reform initiatives, the city said. 

“Mark’s knowledge of law enforcement and his deep concern for the community has earned the respect of his fellow officers and residents and stakeholders with whom he has partnered to implement progressive, 21st-century police practices in Syracuse,” Walsh contended. “From his work on police-community dialogue circles to helping train officers on new policies and procedures to being a liaison to the Citizen’s Review Board, Mark has demonstrated the ability to bring the community and our officers together to make the Syracuse Police Department the very best it can be.” 

In his new role, Rusin will oversee the department’s uniform bureau, replacing former deputy chief Derek McGork who left the department earlier in August to become director of security at Le Moyne College. 

“Sgt. Rusin has worked tirelessly to elevate the professionalism of the Syracuse Police Department through best practice training, policies, and procedures. He has also worked tirelessly in the community, working with a multitude of civic organizations on criminal justice reform, executive orders, far-reaching and inclusive policies and procedures, as well as overall transparency,” Cecile said. “Because of this breadth of work, he is widely known and respected both within the SPD and in the community.” 

Rusin’s SPD work

Working as the legal-affairs liaison in the police chief’s office, Rusin played a lead role in the creation and implementation of the SPD’s updated policies. They included the use-of-force policy in 2019, which is “recognized as a model policy in New York State,” the City of Syracuse said. 

Rusin has also been “instrumental” in developing and overseeing Walsh’s executive order No. 1 enacted in 2020, which set forth 16 pillars of police reform. He helped draft the Syracuse Police Reform and Reinvention Plan created under a New York State executive order. He’s also served on the mayor’s police oversight reform committee. In addition, Rusin drafted the SPD’s body-worn camera policy and supervised the rollout of the program to the police force. 

Rusin served as a patrol officer in the uniform bureau from 2007-2009. He was a detective in the criminal-investigations division from 2009-2018. He investigated felonies, including multi-jurisdictional cases at the local, state, and federal level. He became a legal-services liaison in 2018. 

Rusin has been a Police Academy and in-service instructor since 2011 and has received several awards for his work and service. He earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s degree in criminology law and society from the University of California at Irvine.