NYST Benefit Fund
PBA Trooper Magazine
The History
In the Winter of 1994, the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) of the New York State Troopers were approached with the idea of a program to generate extra money for their operating expenses. The plan was to create an official magazine that would be able to express the views, news, opinions, and law enforcement updates directly to the membership of the New York State Troopers. In the Spring of 1995, the first edition of the PBA Trooper Magazine was published. The first magazine cover displayed former PBA President Sergeant Jim McCormack standing in front of his police cruiser.
To generate that extra money, the PBA established the New York State Troopers Benefit Fund, Inc., a not-for-profit company, to contact business owners across the state for sponsorship, support and advertising for the magazine. Contact would be made by phone to businesses and organizations for their participation. Private sector individuals would not be included on the calling rotation. The New York State Troopers Benefit Fund and its callers would have to be registered with the Attorney General's Office and maintain a strict policy and reputation as being professional and courteous at all times.
Early growing pains in those first editions included printing mistakes, advertising errors, and distribution concerns. There was even a widespread confusion by the membership as to whether or not the magazine even existed. Even today, there is sometimes some misunderstanding in linking the magazine and the benefit fund together. These and other issues made some of the New York State Troopers apprehensive over fully embracing the whole idea.
Towards the end of Sergeant McCormack's term and the beginning of former PBA President Investigator Al Wohlford's term, the magazine started to really take off. Through the 1990's, the magazines became bigger and richer with information pertinent to the lives of the membership. For the first time, the PBA Trooper Magazine became relevant. Cadet classes became a permanent fixture as well as honoring the lives of the fallen troopers. Sponsors started to take larger parts of the book as well. We are thankful to have been able to list the New York Yankees, Albany / Buffalo RV, Caesars Pocono Resorts, Members Mortgage, Allied Builders and many others as our supporters over the years.
Today the President of the New York State Troopers PBA is Thomas H Mungeer. As we are currently working on our Summer 2019 edition of the PBA Trooper - our 53rd edition - our major concerns have been a fluctuating economy and magazine release dates. Our covers over the years have shown helicopter rescues, a black cover after 9-11, a cover with all of our PBA cards over the years, as well as unfortunately many memory covers of fallen Troopers. We hope that the covers have done a good job representing a family of very brave individuals that put their lives on the line every day to protect New York State.
A disturbing trend on the rise has been an influx of "bogus police groups" and fraudulent telemarketing companies. To combat these "bogus" groups, we have stressed the usage of our SP Security ID Cards as well as our Warning Letter. These groups have been claiming to represent everything from local and state police to lost children identification and auto theft investigation. Recently these groups have even been making a big push for copies of your PBA Trooper Magazine. Do not send them your copy and do not let them pick one up from you. Their sole intention is to call every one of the Trooper Supporters and "resell" them for their own groups. Make sure if you are contacted, the caller has your ID number. It is also a good idea to contact us with any information.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you again to all of our supporters. We couldn't have done any of this without you. Your support has made a big difference to the New York State Troopers Benefit Fund and the New York State Troopers PBA. We wish all of you a great Spring and Summer season.
To generate that extra money, the PBA established the New York State Troopers Benefit Fund, Inc., a not-for-profit company, to contact business owners across the state for sponsorship, support and advertising for the magazine. Contact would be made by phone to businesses and organizations for their participation. Private sector individuals would not be included on the calling rotation. The New York State Troopers Benefit Fund and its callers would have to be registered with the Attorney General's Office and maintain a strict policy and reputation as being professional and courteous at all times.
Early growing pains in those first editions included printing mistakes, advertising errors, and distribution concerns. There was even a widespread confusion by the membership as to whether or not the magazine even existed. Even today, there is sometimes some misunderstanding in linking the magazine and the benefit fund together. These and other issues made some of the New York State Troopers apprehensive over fully embracing the whole idea.
Towards the end of Sergeant McCormack's term and the beginning of former PBA President Investigator Al Wohlford's term, the magazine started to really take off. Through the 1990's, the magazines became bigger and richer with information pertinent to the lives of the membership. For the first time, the PBA Trooper Magazine became relevant. Cadet classes became a permanent fixture as well as honoring the lives of the fallen troopers. Sponsors started to take larger parts of the book as well. We are thankful to have been able to list the New York Yankees, Albany / Buffalo RV, Caesars Pocono Resorts, Members Mortgage, Allied Builders and many others as our supporters over the years.
Today the President of the New York State Troopers PBA is Thomas H Mungeer. As we are currently working on our Summer 2019 edition of the PBA Trooper - our 53rd edition - our major concerns have been a fluctuating economy and magazine release dates. Our covers over the years have shown helicopter rescues, a black cover after 9-11, a cover with all of our PBA cards over the years, as well as unfortunately many memory covers of fallen Troopers. We hope that the covers have done a good job representing a family of very brave individuals that put their lives on the line every day to protect New York State.
A disturbing trend on the rise has been an influx of "bogus police groups" and fraudulent telemarketing companies. To combat these "bogus" groups, we have stressed the usage of our SP Security ID Cards as well as our Warning Letter. These groups have been claiming to represent everything from local and state police to lost children identification and auto theft investigation. Recently these groups have even been making a big push for copies of your PBA Trooper Magazine. Do not send them your copy and do not let them pick one up from you. Their sole intention is to call every one of the Trooper Supporters and "resell" them for their own groups. Make sure if you are contacted, the caller has your ID number. It is also a good idea to contact us with any information.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you again to all of our supporters. We couldn't have done any of this without you. Your support has made a big difference to the New York State Troopers Benefit Fund and the New York State Troopers PBA. We wish all of you a great Spring and Summer season.