What's happening
This bill grants peace officer status to certain ambulance medical personnel employed by the Nassau County Police Department.
Why it matters
Expands authority and legal protections. By granting peace officer status, the bill gives certain Nassau County Police Department ambulance personnel powers such as making arrests, issuing summonses, and taking other law enforcement actions, which could impact their interactions with the public and suspects during emergency calls.
Enhances safety and operational flexibility. Peace officer status may improve the ability of these medical personnel to protect themselves and others in potentially volatile situations, especially when responding to emergencies that involve violence, crime scenes, or uncooperative individuals.
Limits on firearm possession. The bill specifically states that these personnel are not automatically authorized to carry firearms; they must obtain a separate license, which limits the scope of their new authority and addresses potential public safety concerns.
Potential changes in training, oversight, and accountability. With new legal powers, these ambulance workers may require additional training and oversight to ensure responsible use of peace officer authority, which could have implications for departmental policy and public trust.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Grant EMTs Peace Officer Status
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 52–9
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.711
- Print number 3632a
- Amend and recommit to codes
- Referred to codes
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to codes
Show 6 earlier actions
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 55–7
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.497
- 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.
Grant Peace Officer Status
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Joseph Lentol
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3632--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 25, 2017
Introduced by Sens. PHILLIPS, GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes -- recommitted to the Committee on Codes in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to granting peace officer status to certain titles employed by the Nassau county police department
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law is amended by adding a new subdivision 85 to read as follows:
85. Ambulance medical technicians, ambulance medical technician supervisors, ambulance medical technician coordinators, bureau directors; police ambulance services, and assistant bureau directors; police ambulance services employed by the Nassau county police department; provided, however, that nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to authorize such persons to carry, possess, repair, or dispose of a firearm unless the appropriate license therefor has been issued pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03931-02-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to granting peace officer status to certain titles employed by the Nassau county police department
Purpose or general idea of bill
Provides Peace officer status to Nassau County Police Department's Ambu- lance Medical Technicians.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 2.10 of the CPL is amended by adding a new subdivision 84.
Justification
Nassau County's Ambulance Medical Technicians (AMTs) serve their commu- nity countywide, providing the highest possible quality in pre-hospital advanced life support emergency medical service care. The AMTs respond to and perform work in varying types of situations, from the scenes of basic medical assistance calls to truly life threatening emergencies. They respond to calls in all types of places via ambulance. They perform their duties on active highways, at fire scenes, at the scenes of collapsed buildings, railroad incidents, and active crime scenes. They also operate as Tactical Medics with the Nassau County Police Department Bureau of Special Operations.
Though the AMTs are well trained, they sometimes encounter the dangerous environments described above, as well as threatening, violent individ- uals. Certain type of emergencies can involve crimes and dangerous weap- ons and situations. The AMTs are not armed on the job, though they risk being attacked or assaulted under these circumstances. It should be noted that other first responders have Peace Officer status.
This bill will afford Nassau County Ambulance Medical Technicians the additional protections associated with Peace Officer status in the event of an attack or assault on the job. It will also rectify the imbalance in status protection that currently exists between the Medics and other, similar first responders.
Prior legislative history
2016: S7113 - Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.