Participants of the 2024 Excelsior Challenge huddling and discussing exercise issues.
October 9, 2024
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Oriskany, NY

DHSES Hosts Annual Excelsior Challenge

DHSES Hosts Law Enforcement Officers from NYS and Beyond for Cutting-Edge Training at Annual Excelsior Challenge
Exercise Held at New York State Preparedness Training Center in Oneida County Brings State’s Bomb Technicians, Explosive Detection Canine Teams, and Tactical Teams Together
46 Different Law Enforcement Agencies Participated from Federal, State and Local Governments from Buffalo to Long Island, Five Other States and Canada

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray today announced more than 140 members of law enforcement from across the state participated in the 8th Annual Excelsior Challenge at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany. This year’s event played host to the largest contingent of law enforcement specialties to-date and focused on training to respond to current and emerging threats. The four-day exercise includes trainings hosted by law enforcement agencies at all levels of government, including the New York State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the New York Police Department.

Participants include 46 bomb technicians from all 13 FBI-accredited New York State bomb squads, 40 explosive detection canine handlers and 60 tactical team operators, forming seven task forces to respond to seven core scenarios.

“In an emergency situation, time is of the essence, and we are proud to host these immersive trainings so that first responders in any field have the knowledge they need to handle situations they may face in their lines of work,” Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said. “The hands-on training at the State Preparedness Training Center is invaluable, and we are optimistic all participants of the Excelsior Challenge learned something new this week.”

The Excelsior Challenge helps increase operational coordination, communication and integration between bomb squads, explosive detection canine teams and tactical teams. The exercise reinforces skills practiced during previous events held at the State Preparedness Training Center such as Tactical Week, the Raven’s Challenge Bomb Squad Exercise, and Canine Week.

This year’s Excelsior Challenge utilized the support of expert instructors from 23 agencies. To help make the scenarios as real as possible, the exercise utilized more than 80 role players, including approximately 35 students from the University at Albany College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity.

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has a long history of providing federal Homeland Security grant funds to support the state’s specialty law enforcement teams. Since 2006, the Division has allocated $29.6 million in non-competitive funding to support New York State’s 13 local FBI-accredited bomb squads. The Division also has allocated $7.2 million in competitive grant funding to support New York State’s DCJS-certified explosive detection canine teams since 2009. The state’s DCJS-certified tactical teams have received $16.6 million in competitive grant funding since 2013. A key objective of these critical grant programs includes the interoperability among law enforcement specialty teams during response operations.

Throughout the week, Excelsior Challenge participants rotated through series of cutting-edge, contemporary scenarios including a high-speed crash with explosive materials, response to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in a rural area and a drone exercise.

This year’s Excelsior Challenge was dedicated to Lieutenant Michael Hoosock of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. Lieutenant Hoosock served as the bomb squad Commander of the Sheriff’s Office bomb squad and has served as both an instructor and an active participant in the Excelsior Challenge for many years, along with his teammates from the bomb squad. Lieutenant Hoosock was killed in the line of duty in April. 

The following law enforcement agencies participated and/or taught throughout the Excelsior Challenge:

Federal Agencies

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office

State Agencies from New York   

New York State Police

NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

NYS University Police - Morrisville

MTA Police Department 

Partners from Other States

Massachusetts State Police

New Jersey State Police

Rhode Island State Police

Vermont State Police

Portland Metro Bomb Squad (Washington State)

Partners from Canada

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Ottawa Police Service

Peel Regional Police (Ontario)

Local Agencies in New York

Albany Police Department

Binghamton Police Department

Buffalo Police Department

Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office

Cheektowaga Police Department

City of Kingston Police Department

City of Newburgh Police Department

City of Peekskill Police Department

City of Poughkeepsie Police Department

Colonie Police Department

Endicott Police Department

Erie County Sheriff's Office

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office

Nassau County Police Department

New Rochelle Police Department

Niagara County Sheriff's Office

NYC Department of Corrections

NYPD Bomb Squad

NYPD Transit Bureau

Oneida County Sheriff's Office

Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office

Orange County Sheriff's Office

Otsego County Sheriff Office

Rochester Police Department

Rockland County Sheriff's Office

Rome Police Department

Steuben County Sheriff's Office

Suffolk County Police Department

Syracuse Police Department

Troy Police Department

Utica Police Department

Warwick Police Department

Westchester County Police Department

To view photos, please visit the DHSES Flickr site.

About the State Preparedness Training Center

The State Preparedness Training Center operated by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, affords state, local, and federal agencies a complex of training venues to conduct the entire spectrum of training. From classroom lectures and discussions to reality- and high-performance scenario-based training, the SPTC offers opportunities for dynamic emergency first responder training. The SPTC offers agencies realistic training environments such as a simulated city, residential housing complex, collapsed building rubble pile, woodland structures, and other settings. Now in its 17th year of operation, the SPTC annually trains thousands of New York’s first responders, including law enforcement, emergency medical services, and emergency management personnel, in a variety of areas including response to active shooter events, emergency vehicle operations, EMS special situations, and patrol officer survival.

About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination, and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, follow @NYSDHSES on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) or visit https://www.dhses.ny.gov.

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