Steven G. James was appointed Superintendent on April 4, 2024, and leads almost 6,000 New York State Police sworn members and non-sworn staff. James entered State Police service in 1987. He has served with the New York State Police for more than 32 years and has spent more than two decades of his career in leadership roles.

Most recently, he served as Deputy Superintendent of Employee Relations where he oversaw the Division wide Employee Relations Section, which entails the employee assistance program (EAP), recruitment, member hiring, statewide training, the training academy, entrance examinations, promotional examinations, the EEO Section, health benefits, attendance and leave, medical monitoring, the military liaison unit, payroll, the personnel section, contract negotiations, forensic media and photography/video production sections.

Superintendent James has also served as a Trooper, Investigator, Sergeant, Senior Investigator, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Staff Inspector, Assistant Deputy Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent. These ranks encompassed various assignments throughout the state including Criminal Investigations, Field Command, Narcotics Enforcement, and Internal Affairs/Professional Standards Bureau.

He has served as a member of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the Northeast Chiefs of Police Association.

He attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the State University at Albany and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Marist College.