Younger Snelling Has Career Role Model In The Family


JAMESTOWN – Sean Snellings, who recently graduated top in his class at the New York State Police Academy, has a huge shadow to walk in – that of his father.
Snellings, who is about to begin his training before becoming a State Trooper, is the son of Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings.
“Having a father who is distinguished and in that position, its nice because I’m very thankful that I do have someone to got to for advice,” the younger Snellings told WNY News Now. “He’s someone who understands the job and understands the dangers that come with it so I’m very thank to have him there. There’s a little bit of added pressure because you do want to do well and kind of live up to that name as well.”
Snellings will train in Binghampton and then be released to the field. He said he is aware of the dangers. He said it is important to have familial support and his wife is fully behind him.
“She’s 100 percent supportive, I couldn’t honestly ask for anything more.,” he said.
As for the potential dangers with being in law enforcement, Snellings said it’s all part of the job.
“I’d say she is nervous, but she’s 100 percent supportive,” he said.
While becoming a Trooper was difficult and challenging, Snellings said that was expected and he was chasing a goal.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he said. “I expected it to be difficult. It was absolutely very challenging.”
The New York State Police offers an open competitive exam every 3 to 4 years. All the candidates are ranked based on their score from the written entrance exam and an eligibility list is established. The list can range into the thousands and depends on how many candidates pass the exam. The list has exceeded 25,000 for the past exams.