| ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division | |
| Common name | ASPCA Police |
| Patch of the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1866 |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | City of New York in the state of New York, USA |
| Size | 1,214.4 km² |
| Population | 8,274,527 |
| Legal jurisdiction | New York |
| General nature |
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| Operational structure | |
| Officers | 20 |
| Parent agency | American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| Website | |
| ASPCA Official Site | |
| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
The ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division (colloquially, "ASPCA Police") is the law enforcement arm of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The agency enforces animal related laws, and investigates cases of animal cruelty.
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The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was incorporated in 1866 by a special state legislation to prevent animal cruelty through various programs including animal adoption services, animal education programs and an armed law enforcement division.[1]
The Humane Law Enforcement Division is the police branch of the ASPCA staffed by 20 armed New York State peace officers who respond to reports of animal cruelty in marked ASPCA patrol cars in the New York City area as well as perform undercover operations. The officers are empowered through NYS Criminal Procedure Law and NY Agriculture and Markets laws to investigate allegations of animal abuse, seize animals being abused, and make arrests for the prosecution for animal cruelty.
In 2000, the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division received 33,000 calls for service which resulted in 55 arrests, 30 summonses issued, and 537 animal seizures.
In 2007, the ASPCA created an animal cruelty crime scene investigation unit. The CSI unit uses a Ford E-450 vehicle equipped with a surgery area for injured animals, evidence processing, documentation, and storage equipment. The van is staffed with a forensic veterinarian to help document evidence to aid in the prosecution of perpetrators. Although the vehicle is used primarily in New York City, it can be deployed to any area of the United States at the request of a law enforcement agency.[5]
ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement officers receive peace officer training in addition to investigator training and firearms training. In 1999, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement recruits began attending a specialized police investigator training course through the New York City Police academy which, prior to 1999, was restricted solely to detectives of the New York City Police Department.
ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement officers are equipped with the same equipment NYPD police officers are equipped with. The officers are issued either a Glock 19 9mm or a Smith and Wesson 5906 9mm handgun, pepper spray, ASP baton, and handcuffs.
Their squad cars are Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, vans, and SUVs.
They carry poles and cages for seizures and catches.
There are five titles (referred to as ranks) in the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Division: