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Constantine, Thomas

Thomas A. Constantine (1938-) was born in Buffalo, New York. He served as a New York State Police (NYSP) officer, superintendent of the NYSP, and administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement

Administration (DEA). As superintendent of the NYSP, Constantine instituted numerous programs aimed at reducing alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents and increasing the number of officers working for the NYSP Narcotics Unit in an effort to curb drug use in New York State. In 1994 Constantine was appointed administrator of the DEA. As administrator, Constantine focused his attention primarily on powerful organized crime groups that controlled the vast majority of drug trafficking in the United States. After retiring from the DEA, Constantine was appointed to the position of Oversight Commissioner for reform of policing in Northern Ireland by the British Government in 2000.

New York State Police

After serving as a deputy in the Erie County (New York) Sheriff's Department for two years, Constantine joined the New York State Police (NYSP) in 1962 as a uniform trooper. In December 1986 Governor Mario Cuomo nominated Constantine to be superintendent of the NYSP. During his time as superintendent, Constantine oversaw approximately 4,800 law enforcement personnel and received the Governor's Law Enforcement Executive of the Year award in 1994. During Constantine's tenure as superintendent, the NYSP became a main power in fighting the growing drug trafficking problem in New York. During his tenure, the number of officers on the NYSP Narcotics Unit increased from 75 to 400 full-time officers. These new officers and Constantine worked closely with the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force to target drug organizations from Cali, Colombia, that were primarily responsible for bringing large amounts of cocaine to New York.

To help fight the growing drug problem, Constantine implemented the Community Narcotics Enforcement Teams, which brought additional officers to inner-city communities that were plagued by growing use of crack cocaine. Constantine's increased focus on targeting the growing drug problem resulted in seizures of criminal assets, providing the necessary funds for the NYSP to build a state-of-the-art forensic investigative center in Albany, New York.

Additionally, Constantine instituted high visibility enforcement efforts at reducing drunk driving during his tenure. These enforcement programs are believed to be responsible for decreasing the number of highway fatalities. Constantine is also credited with launching a number of innovative programs during his time as superintendent of the NYSP, including the following: Drug Recognition Technician Program; Driving While Intoxicated Checkpoint Program; Statewide Narcotics Indexing Program; and the 1-800-CURB-DWI Program.

Drug Enforcement Administration

Recognizing his accomplishments as superintendent of the NYSP, President Bill Clinton appointed Constantine administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1994 on the recommendations of Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh. During his time as administrator, Constantine was responsible for over 8,400 special agents and staff, 200 domestic offices, and 78 foreign offices in over 55 countries. In addition, he focused his efforts on combating international crime syndicates that were responsible for the majority of drug trafficking in the United States and the world.

During his tenure as administrator of the DEA, Constantine and Colombia's law enforcement authorities worked together to fight and eventually bring down the leaders of the Cali drug cartel. In recognition of his efforts at fighting the Cali cartel, the government of Colombia honored him with a medal in the fall of 1999 during a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

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