What's happening
This bill allows New York school districts to employ retired police officers as armed special security officers, with state approval and oversight.
Why it matters
Creates a new, regulated pathway for school districts to hire retired police officers as armed security. , but only after a detailed application to and approval from the State Education Department, increasing state oversight of armed personnel in schools.
Limits the authority and presence of these special security officers. to school grounds, during class time and school-sponsored extracurricular activities, preventing a broader law enforcement presence outside of specific school contexts.
Mandates annual reporting and compliance with existing school safety and violence prevention plans. , tying the security officer program to ongoing district accountability and transparency requirements.
Establishes strict compensation rules and firearms restrictions. , ensuring retired officers do not financially benefit beyond a set formula and may only be armed with both school approval and proper state licensing, aiming to balance security with oversight and community concerns.
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Who cares
School district trustees and boards of education
The bill would let approved districts hire eligible retired police officers as special security officers, set their pay within a statutory cap and approve firearm carrying subject to licensing.
Retired police officers
Eligible retirees could take school security jobs exempt from Retirement and Social Security Law section 212, with compensation capped at the difference between their pension, excluding supplements, and their final salary.
State Education Department
The department would have sole authority to approve or deny district applications, with approvals lasting no more than five years and subject to annual reporting requirements.
Students and school staff
The bill would give these officers peace officer status limited to assigned school grounds and employment hours when classes or school-sponsored extracurricular activities are occurring.
Headline styles
Hire Retired Cops for Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
15 Co-sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Print number 4292a
- Amend and recommit to codes
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Hire Retired Cops for Schools
In Senate Committee · Local Government · Sponsor Kenneth P. LaValle
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 4050--A A. 4292--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2017
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Government in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, RAIA, MONTESANO, McDONALD, RA, MURRAY, CRESPO, WALTER, GARBARINO, GIGLIO, CROUCH, BLAKE, COLTON, JEAN-PIERRE, SANTABARBARA, NORRIS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRABENEC, ENGLEBRIGHT, PALMESANO, RAMOS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes -- recommitted to the Committee on Codes in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law and the criminal procedure law, in relation to employment of retired police officers by school districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 209-vv to read as follows:
§ 209-vv. Employment of retired police officers as special security officers for school districts. 1. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation, the trustees or board of education of any school district approved pursuant to subdivision two of this section are authorized to employ retired former police officers as defined in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (j), (k), (s), (t) and (v) of subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law for the purpose of providing special security officers in the schools of such school district, in order to protect the property or persons on such premises. The trustees or board of education of any school district so authorized shall timely
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04113-02-8
S. 4050--A 2 A. 4292--A
submit the annual report set out in subdivision three of section twenty-eight hundred two of the education law during the length of the authorization.
2. (a) To be authorized pursuant to subdivision one of this section, the trustees or board of education of a school district must submit an application to the state department of education which sets forth:
(i) the current security arrangements in such district, including the staff providing security, scheduled hours, and duties;
(ii) the school violence measures undertaken by the school district, including all school codes and school safety plans required by sections twenty-eight hundred one and twenty-eight hundred one-a of the education law; and
(iii) the security needs which would be addressed by the presence of special security officers in the school or schools in the district.
(b) The department of education shall review the application and have sole authority to approve or deny the application. No application shall be approved where the school district has not timely submitted the annual report set out in subdivision three of section twenty-eight hundred two of the education law.
(c) Such authorization shall be valid for no longer than five years. If, at any time, the trustees or board of education of a school district so authorized fail to timely submit the annual report set out in subdivision three of section twenty-eight hundred two of the education law, such authorization shall be suspended pending submission.
(d) A special security officer may carry a firearm during the hours of his or her employment subject to prior approval of the school district and appropriate licensing pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.
3. The trustees or board of education of a school district shall have the power to fix the compensation of persons so employed, either at annual or per diem rates in the manner provided for in this subdivision. Employments provided for in this section shall not be subject to the provisions of section two hundred twelve of the retirement and social security law. The compensation for persons employed by a school district under this section shall not exceed the difference between the amount of his or her pension (excluding the amount of any supplementation thereto) and the amount of his or her final salary as defined by section two hundred ten of the retirement and social security law.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 209-v of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter 843 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any general, local or special law or charter provision, the governing board of any political subdivision may authorize any police or law enforcement agency of such political subdivision to employ retired former members of police or sheriff's departments, or the division of state police, or retired former correction, parole or probation officers for the purpose of providing special [patrolmen] security officers in publicly owned property within such political subdivision[, including property of a school district,] in order to protect the property or persons on such premises.
§ 3. Section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law is amended by adding a new subdivision 85 to read as follows:
85. Special security officers employed by a school district pursuant to section two hundred nine-vv of the general municipal law, when acting pursuant to their duties as such, and such authority being limited to the school grounds, as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision fourteen of section 220.00 of the penal law, to which they are assigned and
S. 4050--A 3 A. 4292--A
limited to the hours of their employment during which classes are in session and during which a school sponsored extracurricular activity is occurring on such school grounds; provided, however, that nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to authorize such officer to carry, possess, repair or dispose of a firearm unless prior approval has been given by the school district and the appropriate license has been issued pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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