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largest and most powerful criminal conspiracy in history. That year, the New York State Police uncovered a cocaine processing lab in the rural New York hamlet of Minden. Constantine consolidated this and several other NYSP drug investigations under a single task force. In 1991, a series of raids across New York resulted in arrests and seizures that effectively exposed the entire Cali Cartel operation in New York. It wasn't long thereafter that
Constantine, now head of the DEA, headed up the international law enforcement effort that brought about the defeat and dismantling of the cartel.
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453:(NYSP) as a uniform trooper. Over the course of his 34-year NYSP career, rose through all uniform and investigative ranks, including service as a regional troop commander, headquarters staff inspector, and full colonel in the post of Field Commander in charge of day-to-day operations of both the uniform and investigative branches of the NYSP.
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groups that control most of the drug trafficking in the United States and throughout the world. In addition, Constantine created DEA Mobile
Enforcement Teams to assist state and local law enforcement with investigative and enforcement operations that target the violent drug gangs that have terrorized so many communities in the
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Concerned about the impact of violent crime, Constantine instituted the NYSP Forensic Unit, the first of its kind by a domestic law enforcement agency. This program, based in state police headquarters, provided immediate resource support to local law enforcement authorities confronted with suspicious
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As
Administrator of the DEA, Constantine oversaw a work force of over 8,400 special agents and support staff assigned to the agency's 200 domestic offices and 78 foreign offices in over 55 countries. In this capacity, he focused enforcement efforts against the powerful international organized crime
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in
December 1986 to be Superintendent of the NYSP. It was the first time in 30 years that a member of that agency had risen through the ranks from Trooper to Superintendent. During his tenure as Superintendent, the 4,800-member agency earned numerous awards, including the Governor's Excelsior Award
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Constantine emphasized the need for increased integrity and ethics standards for all DEA employees. Since 1994, all new DEA special agents have been required to meet the most rigorous entrance standards in U.S. law enforcement. In order to provide more assets to the field operational units, the
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Largely as the result of
Constantine's emphasis on drug enforcement and maximized use of tough new federal laws that allowed seizure of criminal assets, his administration of the NYSP brought in seized assets that ultimately financed the construction of a state-of-the-art forensic investigative
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As
Superintendent, Constantine instituted vigorous enforcement programs targeting drunk drivers who were responsible for a majority of the fatal accidents in the state. These high-visibility enforcement programs were credited with a major share of the subsequent reduction of highway fatalities.
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In 1995, the
Rodriguez brothers, godfathers of Colombia's notorious Cali Cartel, were brought to face American justice. Beginning in 1985, when Constantine was Field Commander of the New York State Police, he oversaw an effort to expose and dismantle what has been acknowledged to have been the
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headquarters decision-making and staffing levels were reduced with an emphasis on decentralized authority. In recognition of these successful efforts, Constantine was awarded the 1997 Penrith Award by the
National Executive Institute for outstanding law enforcement leadership.
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into New York. Four regional teams of undercover troopers were established in upstate New York to assist local agencies confront drug dealers. These
Community Narcotics Enforcement Teams brought an unprecedented level of law enforcement resources to bear on beleaguered
727:(IACP). He was elected to and served on the Board of Officers for the IACP from October 1992 to April 1994, and he served as a member of the IACP Executive Committee and as Chairman of the IACP Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Committee.
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as a Public
Service Professor. In that capacity, he initiated the creation of a college-level executive development training program for municipal police executives that opened its first session in September 2005.
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under pressure from their supervisors to garner convictions. At least two investigators were criminally convicted and the scandal had a chilling effect throughout the nationwide law enforcement community. After
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As Superintendent, Constantine recognized the need for increased law enforcement resources to combat the growing drug problem. During his tenure, the NYSP Narcotics Unit was increased from 75 to 400 full-time
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In 1987, the NYSP created and instituted the Colonel Henry F. Williams Homicide Seminar, internationally recognized as the finest homicide training event of its kind. This seminar, conducted annually in
742:, where he completed the academic portion of his doctoral program. He was selected as the outstanding alumnus of both of the latter. Constantine was later awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from
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plan. He served in this capacity for three and one half years. In the years since, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has emerged as a respected and trusted law enforcement agency.
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as the best quality agency in state government. In 1994, Constantine himself was selected as the Governor's Law Enforcement Executive of the Year. The
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750:(Massachusetts) in 1997 and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the State University of New York in 2012. In 1999, he joined the faculty of
532:, particularly through the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, these expanded drug units targeted the major drug organizations from
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or unsolved murders and violent assaults. Specially trained state police homicide investigators successfully solved a series of
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to honor individuals who had lost their lives or been seriously injured enforcing the drug laws of the United States.
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area in the 1990s. The five serial killers arrested were responsible for the murder of 52 innocent victims.
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that represented the State Troopers at the time often complained about his heavy-handed management style.
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Constantine was married to the former Ruth Ann Cryan of Buffalo. Constantine died on May 3, 2015, in
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occurred during his tenure. A number of investigators were found to have falsified latent
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Tom Constantine addressing an audience at the DEA 25th anniversary luncheon, 1998
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Nelson Roth issued his report Constantine had already left the State Police.
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Constantine was active in a number of police organizations including the
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had issued a plan for the reconstitution and reorganization of the
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there and was graduated from St. Joseph's Collegiate Academy.
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of 1998, a commission chaired by former Hong Kong Governor
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Rockefeller College School of Public Affairs and Policy
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Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration
341:(December 23, 1938 – May 3, 2015) served as the 6th
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Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration
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668:On January 5, 1996, Constantine established the
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904:Drug Enforcement Administration Administrators
730:Constantine held an associate degree from the
683:In May 2000, Constantine was appointed by the
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725:International Association of Chiefs of Police
691:for a major reform of provincial policing in
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675:Constantine retired from DEA in July 1999.
599:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
557:center at the NYSP headquarters in Albany.
398:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
352:, on December 23, 1938. He was educated in
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619:Learn how and when to remove this message
540:, that were responsible for the flood of
418:Learn how and when to remove this message
318:Learn how and when to remove this message
528:investigators. Working closely with the
506:scandal in New York State Police history
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809:Drug Enforcement Administration Museum
740:State University of New York at Albany
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456:Constantine was nominated by Governor
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256:adding citations to reliable sources
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117: – March 21, 1994
909:Law enforcement in Northern Ireland
736:State University College at Buffalo
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894:Politicians from Buffalo, New York
709:Police Service of Northern Ireland
438:, Constantine began his career in
55:April 1994 – July 2, 1999
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780:"Former DEA Administrators"
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144:Donald Osborn Chesworth Jr.
95:10th Superintendent of the
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551:crack cocaine epidemic
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697:Good Friday agreement
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339:Thomas A. Constantine
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97:New York State Police
22:Thomas A. Constantine
805:"Purple Heart Award"
593:improve this section
392:improve this section
252:improve this article
719:Further information
649:on March 11, 1994.
744:Niagara University
695:. Pursuant to the
685:British Government
518:Special Prosecutor
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640:FBI Director
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245:verification
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196:(2015-05-03)
150:Succeeded by
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84:Succeeded by
64:Bill Clinton
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889:2015 deaths
884:1938 births
859:DEA History
814:November 3,
784:www.dea.gov
707:into a new
643:Louis Freeh
510:fingerprint
483:Long Island
463:labor union
458:Mario Cuomo
444:Erie County
436:Long Island
194:May 3, 2015
140:Preceded by
133:Mario Cuomo
71:Preceded by
878:Categories
766:References
636:Janet Reno
547:inner city
489:, and the
278:newspapers
212:Alma mater
174:1938-12-23
121:1994-03-21
113:1987-01-02
580:does not
526:narcotics
479:Rochester
379:does not
201:Pinehurst
105:In office
60:President
51:In office
609:May 2018
538:Colombia
513:evidence
491:Catskill
408:May 2018
308:May 2018
185:New York
129:Governor
78:(Acting)
601:removed
586:sources
542:cocaine
400:removed
385:sources
292:scholar
181:Buffalo
119: (
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499:Albany
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487:Utica
299:JSTOR
285:books
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638:and
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534:Cali
383:any
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271:news
191:Died
168:Born
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