MEET OUR ALUMNI
SUNY Adirondack alumnus Shane Crooks is the new Saratoga Springs Chief of Police.
SUNY Adirondack alumnus named Chief of Police
After serving 15 years with the Saratoga Springs Police Department, Shane Crooks was appointed Chief of Police in September.
Crooks, a 1998 SUNY Adirondack graduate in Criminal Justice, looks forward to serving the city in this leadership role.
“I want to focus on expanding our community outreach programs while continuing to provide professional services to the community we serve,” Crooks said. “As Chief of Police of the Saratoga Springs Police Department, I plan to perform my duties with honor, integrity and respect — and I expect the same from my officers.”
Crooks, who lives in Corinth, attended SUNY Adirondack because he needed to work after graduating high school, and the college made it possible for him to pursue a degree while maintaining a full-time job. After earning his associate degree, he was able to transfer to Empire State College to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“SUNY Adirondack provided me with a foundation from which I could use to help myself prepare for a career. I was able to take away things that allowed me to improve my civil service test scores, increasing my chances of obtaining employment. I was also able to use what I learned directly in my field, from forensics to police supervision. I still use what I learned at SUNY Adirondack today,” he said.
Crooks recommends the college to people interested in working in law enforcement.
“My agency and many others require a certain amount of college credits to be eligible for employment. I would recommend SUNY Adirondack to them based upon my own experiences,” Crooks said. “SUNY Adirondack can help prepare them for their law enforcement careers, as it did for me. The professors there were fantastic. They took the time out of their schedules to answer any questions, not just related to the class they were teaching but the field in general.”
Joy Savoie is a senior crime victim specialist with the Warren County District Attorney’s Office.
Graduate helps crime victims
Joy Savoie learned first-hand how college internships can have a lasting effect on students.
When Savoie was a Criminal Justice major at SUNY Adirondack, she applied for an internship with the Warren County District Attorney’s Office. Savoie got the position and interned for about a year, which led to a part-time position as a crime victim specialist.
“The internship program allows students to go out and experience different career paths in criminal justice. When I started doing this job as an intern, it really sparked an interest in me. I realized it was what I really wanted to do,” said Savoie, a Corinth native who lives in Queensbury.
She continued working with the office after graduation while she finished her bachelor’s degree at SUNY Plattsburgh in Queensbury. Now a senior crime victim specialist, Savoie has worked for the district attorney’s office for more than 13 years.
“It’s a rewarding job being able to help people get through some of the most tragic times in their lives. Being a victim is nothing anyone plans for. I help them get through the court process and tell them what they can expect,” she said. “In the end, the rewarding part is to see them grow from the experience and become stronger.”
MEET OUR STUDENTS
Casey Cogdill is an intern at the Warren County District Attorney’s Office working with the crime victim specialists.
“The ability to have professors who want to see you be serious about what you’re doing and the career you’re about to take on has been a pleasure because I have been able to be more mature and realistic about ‘the next step.’ Professor Carpenter recognized my hard work and selected me for an internship at the Warren County District Attorney’s Office working with the crime victim specialists. I have been interning there since Fall 2018, gaining experience and knowledge in all aspects of the criminal justice system. SUNY Adirondack was not only a great decision for my education, but it also provided me with experiences I did not expect to receive — and I am extremely thankful for all of them.” — Casey Cogdill, Criminal Justice: Police Science major, Queensbury
MEET OUR FACULTY
Professor of Criminal Justice Michael Carpenter encourages students to take part in internships as part of the college learning experience.
