SYRACUSE — The newly formed SRAA Police Department is handling law-enforcement duties at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR). Officers began their patrol of the airport property at SYR as of 12:01 a.m. on March 6, the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) said in its announcement. The City of Syracuse Police Department (SPD) has provided law-enforcement […]
SYRACUSE — The newly formed SRAA Police Department is handling law-enforcement duties at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR).
Officers began their patrol of the airport property at SYR as of 12:01 a.m. on March 6, the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) said in its announcement.
The City of Syracuse Police Department (SPD) has provided law-enforcement services to the airport for most of its existence, the SRAA said. Starting in 2012, a combination of off-duty SPD officers and private-security firms have provided security services under an agreement with the City of Syracuse.
The SRAA Police Department includes two full-time employees — Chief Mark Werbeck and Captain Anthony Sobiech — and 19 part-time officers.
“The consummate professionals at SPD have been very accommodating during this transition,” Werbeck said. “We thank our SPD counterparts for their years of dedication to the safe and secure operation of our airport.”
Werbeck is a 25-year law-enforcement professional who most recently served at the rank of sergeant with the SPD. Among his many duties, the Solvay native oversaw the SPD airport section, serving as the direct liaison between the SPD and SRAA.
State lawmakers in 2022 passed legislation authorizing the creation of an authority police department with its own uniformed police officers. The airport police jurisdiction consists of all property under the control of the SRAA and has been certified by New York State, the SRAA said.
“As our airport grows to support the region, this transition to an in-house police department will allow the SRAA flexibility in scheduling work shifts and increased control over staffing levels,” Jason Terreri, executive director of SRAA, said. “Officers working regularly at the airport will have a greater familiarity with the airport environment, further enhancing security.”
The creation of the SRAA Police Department marks the first time in decades a new officially recognized law-enforcement agency has been created in New York state.
About Werbeck, Sobiech
A recipient of divisional, bureau, and departmental commendations throughout his career, Werbeck retired in good standing from the SPD in August 2022. One day later, he formally accepted a job with the SRAA as the new chief of police.
Since then, Werbeck has worked with internal and external stakeholders to “transform the vision of an airport police force into an operational reality,” the SRAA said.
Sobiech, a veteran of the Gulf War, grew up in Binghamton. He is a 28-year veteran of law enforcement, serving the entirety of his career with the SPD.
Among his many accomplishments, the FBI National Academy graduate established the “first of its kind” SPD public-order unit. After commanding the Southwest District for the department, he later commanded the patrol-service division, which positioned Sobiech to work with a variety of community stakeholders, including the airport.