About Colonie Police Department

Chief James “Jay” Gerace

Welcome

Chief James “Jay” Gerace

I would like to welcome you to the Colonie Police Department's informational website. Colonie is a large urban township at the hub of the Capital District, nestled between the cities of Albany, Troy and Schenectady. We have been a New York State Accredited Agency since 1994 and currently have 115 sworn officers that are supported by 50 full and part time civilian employees. The Colonie Police Department is a full-service police department that serves our community of 85,000 residents.

It is our mission to provide the highest level of service to our residents, business owners as well as the community we serve. The Colonie Police Department is committed to furthering the expected high-quality standard of living through our professionalism, dedication to duty and treating all persons we encounter with dignity, honor, respect and empathy. We will continue to provide full service response to the needs of our community while always keeping our mission statement in the forefront of our actions and reactions.

I invite you to explore our website and discover what the Colonie Police Department has to offer.

Chief James “Jay” Gerace


Department Overview

Today there are 115 sworn officers and 50 support personnel as well as over 60 vehicles in the police fleet. A state of the art E-911 communication center with computer-aided dispatch has replaced the light outside of the old Town Hall.

The Police Department is structured into two main divisions. The Field Operations Division includes Patrol, Investigations and Traffic Safety. The Administrative Services Division provides support functions that include Communications, Records, Training, Personnel, Community Services and Animal Control.


Our History

The Colonie Police Department is a New York State accredited, full-service police agency serving the Town of Colonie, New York.

The Colonie Police Department was formed by a Town Board resolution on January 2, 1934. This resolution authorized the Police Department to hire a Chief and two Patrolmen. The first official police vehicle was purchased in 1939 and because there were no radios, officers had to drive by Town Hall to check for calls. A light on the outside of the building would indicate that officers should come in to receive the call information.

Part-time officers began to cover the night shift in 1947. In 1955 Colonie officers gave up britches, leather boots and jackets for a police uniform more like we see today.


Our Mission

The mission of the Colonie Police Department is to protect and serve the residents, visitors, and businesses of the Town of Colonie.


Use of Force

To view a copy of the Colonie Police Department Use of Force policy, please click here.


Ranks

All Colonie Police Department uniform officers have a rank designation that fits within a hierarchy of leadership. There are six different ranks in total.

  • Patrolman
  • Investigator
  • Sergeant
  • Lieutenant
  • Deputy Chief
  • Chief of Police