Research

Administrative History

The Special Services Unit within the Bureau of Criminal Investigation of the New York State Police (known before 1970 as the Criminal and Subversives Section) was formed during the Second World War, ca. 1940, to investigate possible threats to public order and safety throughout New York State. Special Services investigators were stationed in each of the ten regional subdivisions of the State Police, or "Troops," and reported to their Troop Commander or Special Services Lieutenant on any threats posed by riots, strikes, demonstrations, or other subversive activities in their respective jurisdictions. While Special Services personnel focused on maintaining public order, officers conducted numerous investigations into private individuals and organizations that, in their opinion, seemed to demonstrate subversive or violent tendencies, even though officers lacked any concrete evidence of wrongdoing. During the course of its existence, the Special Services Unit investigated politicians, educators, members of the media, and private citizens, as well as organizations associated with Communism, Black Nationalism, Civil Rights, Anti-War/Peace rhetoric, and other social and political issues of the era.

In July 1975, the Special Services Unit was dissolved as a result of a lack of personnel and, according to the State Police, "a decline in riotous activities." Because of the controversy surrounding this unit and its information gathering, the New York State Assembly created a special task force to study the State Police non-criminal investigation files, as well as "recommend remedial legislation to properly limit such [information] collection in the future" (Assembly Special Task Force on State Police Non-Criminal Files report, September 1977, pp. i, 8). The Special Task Force, chaired by Assemblyman Mark Alan Siegel, concluded that while the State Police may have "exaggerated the need for information" and "overzealously interpreted . . . their legal mandate," the agency was not guilty of any illegal behavior (September 1977 report, pp. 45, 47).