Lt. Col. George Beach has been confirmed as the next superintendent of the New York State Police.

Beach, a 33-year veteran of the agency, was confirmed by the state Senate Thursday. He was picked by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo to succeed Joseph D’Amico, who announced his departure in April.

Republican Senate Leader John Flanagan says Beach was an “outstanding” choice to lead the State Police, calling him a “first-class law enforcement professional.”

The 60-year-old Beach had been supervising the agency’s 3,200 uniformed troopers for the past three years.

Beach began his career as a firefighter in New Jersey. He graduated from the New York State Police Academy in 1983 and worked his way up through the agency.

(AP)