Albert S. Kurek has spent 40 years in law enforcement. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1957 to 1960, the New York State Police from 1962 to 1985 and as a Special Agent with the Defense Security Service from 1985 to 2002. A lifelong resident of Western New York, he is a graduate of Genesee Community college and the State University College at Buffalo, New York. He enlisted in the State Police on June 18, 1962 attending the state police school held at Oneonta, New York during that summer. He was assigned to SP Horseheads where the very capable Trooper Kenneth Epler provided his on the job training.

During the next three years, he was assigned at SP Albion, SP Allegany and again at Albion. In 1965, he requested and was transferred to SP Batavia patrol where he remained until 1980, when he was detailed to the first Hazmat detail and re-assigned to SP Clarence. While at Batavia, he worked two duty tours on the Loadometer Detail and was elected to the PBA, as the Troop “A” delegate in 1979. He served as the PBA Vice President under President John Canfield until his retirement in 1985. An avid New York Trooper history buff, he maintains a mini-museum at his home with several one-of-a-kind items. He also has in excess of 100 albums containing trooper photo and newspaper articles.

Albert S. Kurek, a retired New York State Police trooper wrote two books on the history of the New York State Police in The Troopers Are Coming: New York State Troopers, 1917-1943 and The Troopers Are Coming II: New York State Troopers, 1943-1985.

According to the book description of New York State Police in The Troopers Are Coming: New York State Troopers, 1917-1943, “The author is brilliant! If you are interested in the history of the New York State Police you need to purchase this book! It is so well put together, you will not want this book to ever end! The only thing you could hope for, is a follow up, a "Part two" if you would, for the years 1943 to present! this book is incredible! It should be used in the New York State Police Academy!”

The Troopers Are Coming: New York State Troopers 1917-1943 Albert S. Kurek  More Info The Troopers Are Coming II: New York State Troopers 1943-1985 Albert S. Kurek  More Info

According to the book description of The Troopers Are Coming II: New York State Troopers 1943-1985, “Police work is one of the most important developments of civilization. The detection and prevention of crime is not an exact science. It is an art. It is important that constant training and education continue. A policeman is only a citizen who has chosen to be the servant of the public, one having no more and no less rights than any other citizen. We maintain that the more intelligent he is, and the more he knows of police work, the less well he be an autocrat. He will realize his limitations, will know that a democracy is only as strong as its majority, and that in our country government is with and by the consent of the governed. He will realize that he must work along prescribed lines, that he cannot be used by any persons or organizations to coerce a citizen, or to settle personal grievances, or to enforce private ideas of morality, but should give the maximum of protection with the minimum interference with the lawful rights of a citizen. Autocrat - one who rules without restriction.”