New York State Police Motion Picture Film and Videotapes

22427-11: Numerical.

The bulk of this series consists of motion picture film collected by the Division of State Police for training and educational purposes. Topics of such films include: horsemanship; accident investigations; highway safety; drug and alcohol impairment and detection; bicycle safety; child and pedestrian safety; rescue breathing and CPR; emergency obstetrics; crowd control; criminal procedure; stress awareness; search and seizure; Communists and Communism; and management and supervision techniques. Also present is film created to document activities and significant events of the Division of State Police, such as openings of facilities, ceremonies, and operational activities. Included in this category are films on such events as the opening and dedication of the New York State Thruway, 1954; civil rights demonstration in Albany, 1964; New York State fair, 1967; Woodstock music festival, 1969; and manhunt for Robert Garrow, 1973. Some of the films, like the footage of the Woodstock festival, consist of amateur footage whereas others are professionally produced with full narration.

22427-14: This accretion consists of two black-and-white VHS tapes (82 minutes running time) used as instructional materials by the Division of State Police. The videotapes contain a 1972 documentary report produced by the McKay Commission (New York State Special Commission on Attica) and the American Bar Association. The documentary is narrated by producer Robert Potts, with appearances by Robert McKay, chair of the commission. Content includes committee hearing excerpts, including witness testimonies and the film report of the negotiations and armed assault to retake the prison. Other findings include probable reasons for the rebellion, procedures used in the negotiations, and the actions of Commissioner Oswald and Governor Nelson Rockefeller. A film team visits Attica a year after the uprising and finds that the basic problems which caused the revolt still remain.

The copyright for this documentary is held by the American Bar Association, though it was intended for public release. The documentary is followed by a roundtable shown on WMHT/Schenectady with panelists, including state legislators, reacting to the documentary and the publication of the McKay Commission report immediately after both were made publicly available.

Selected motion picture films from this series have been digitized and are available in State Archives Digital Collections.

Series B1341, Audio tapes and transcripts of Commission hearings, contains related records of the Special Commission on Attica.

22427-11: Partial item list is available at the repository.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.