Relates to university police officers appointed by the state university of New York

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends Retirement and Social Security Law § 302(11) by adding new paragraph Section 302(11) sets forth the definition of "police or fire" service for purposes of the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System statute Paragraph i includes service as a State University police officer within such definition.

Section 2 amends RSSL § 375-f(d) and section 3 adds new section 383-d to the RSSL to give State University police officers the opportunity to transfer to the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System and to participate in a special twenty-five year half pay benefit special plan comparable to the special plans in which members of the division of law enforcement in the Department of Environmental Conservation participate per RSSL § 383-b and the members of the regional State Park Police participate per RSSL 383-a.

Sections 7 and 8 amend Civil Service Law § 58(3) and § 58(4)(a) and (b), respectively, to allow State University police officers the ability to laterally transfer to other listed police forces or departments The legislation shall take effect immediately.

Existing law

State University police officers are eligible to participate in the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System. Current law does not provide State University police officers the ability to transfer to another police force or department.

Statement in support

The State University Police is the law enforcement entity for SUNY's State-operated campuses. Providing a wide range of law enforcement services, State University police officers are first responders for major violent felonies, including active shooting and violent felony crimes in progress.

In 1998, State University police officers became statutorily recognized as police officers. They have the same selection criteria and training and perform the same functions as other police officers. State University police officers are seeking the same retirement

benefits as afforded to the members of their bargaining unit: New York State Environmental Conservation Police and New York State Park Police.

Police officers, in general, have one of the highest rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, stress and other health related problems. The physical deterioration and emotional stress which police officers encounter is evidence of the necessity to maintain a young and vigorous force. As such, a service-based retirement plan (as opposed to an age-based plan) provides the ability for such officers to retire after a specified number of years which, in turn, allows the hiring of younger individuals. This legislation will accomplish the goal of maintaining a younger police force that correspond to the demands of a campus environment, which typically is comprised of persons between the ages of 18-22.

Based on 2013 data compiled by the Office of University Police at System Administration, a significant number of officers have left University service in the past five years for other police departments over this retirement issue. It is anticipated that this "train and transfer" dilemma will increase as current hires would have to wait until age 62 to retire under recent amendments to the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System.

The rapid turnover of newly hired officers to other departments has a negative impact on morale. There is also a fiscal impact. The estimated cost to train an officer at a police academy and then undergo field training is approximately $85,000.

Fiscal

See the bill.

Effective date

Immediately