Cuomo taps new state police superintendent

ALBANY - New York Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo has picked the chief investigator from his attorney general's office to be the next superintendent of the State Police.

Joseph D'Amico, who oversees 300 criminal and civil investigators, joined the attorney general's staff in early 2007.

Two superintendents abruptly departed following political scandals surrounding past governors' use of their security details of troopers.

During Gov. Eliot Spitzer's two-year administration, his aides directed troopers to create a special report on the use of state aircraft by Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Spitzer's political rival.

After a top aide to Gov. David A. Paterson was involved last year in a domestic incident with his girlfriend, the trooper who runs the governor's security detail phoned her. Paterson also called the woman.

The attorney general's office investigated both cases and issued reports while D'Amico was its chief investigator.

Special counsel Judith Kaye found no criminal activity by troopers or the governor in the domestic incident case.

A former New York Police Department deputy chief, D'Amico, 50, retired after 27 years of patrol and investigative assignments in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens and command of the 24-hour information and investigative support center for detectives at the scene of violent crimes.

"Chief D'Amico brings extraordinary police credentials and a fresh prospective to the State Police which will be a significant asset in re-establishing the good reputation of this distinguished force," Cuomo said in making the announcement yesterday.