SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) has announced the completed transition of law-enforcement duties at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) to the newly formed SRAA Police Department.
SRAA Police officers began their patrol of the airport property as the primary law-enforcement agency at SYR as of 12:01 a.m. Monday morning, 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, 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.
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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 in the news release. “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 the State of New York, 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 in a news release. “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.
