"I started out as a Hospitality and Tourism major, but that didn't quite pan out for me. I have an uncle who is the chief medical physician for the New York State Troopers, so I started by talking to him and a few of his colleagues. I thought if I wanted to live my life around police work, it would be smart to start here in college and not just hope the police academy will teach me everything I need to know. I switched my major to Criminal Justice, and now school doesn't feel like school anymore. It’s exciting to come to class. I want to be here.

My big goal is to graduate from college without any debt. I am going to start taking the civil service test soon and then transfer to SUNY Plattsburgh here at Queensbury for a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice. I want to be a police officer. Criminal Procedure was my favorite class. It was taught by a defense attorney from Saratoga. Everything you learn in CJ 101 and Criminal Law all connect. The professors here are so great. The experience and knowledge they bring with them is hard to find anywhere else. I love hearing their stories.

I've been interning at the Warren County District Attorney's Office in the Crime Victims Unit. It's actually run by a graduate of this program.

I file a lot of paper work, but I also have gotten to talk to a lot of victims over the phone. I'm learning how to talk to victims, how to file paperwork and write up parole notices. I sit in on trials, too. I like watching the police officers on the stand. Gaining that experience is really valuable. I’m seeing the lawyer side of police work, which is only going to help me in the future.

When I was growing up, I didn't have a great childhood. My stepfather was abusive. We dealt with the police a lot, and when they arrived at our door, it was a sign of relief. I want to be that for other people. I want to be that much of a sign of relief for someone else."

Patrick Coyne
Saratoga Springs, NY
Police Science, Class of 2016
#HumansofSUNYADK
#experienceitforyourself
#SUNYADKCriminalJustice