What's happening
This bill directs a state-led study and public hearing on the policies, practices, finances, and public safety of the Hempstead Village Police Department following corruption concerns.
Why it matters
The bill mandates an independent, state-led review of the Hempstead Village Police Department’s policies, finances, and practices, which means the findings will not be controlled by local officials, addressing concerns of bias or conflicts of interest.
By requiring public hearings and the collection of written testimony, the bill ensures community voices—including those of residents who may have experienced or witnessed police misconduct—will be part of the official record and recommendations.
The involvement of both the Division of Criminal Justice Services and the State Comptroller signals that both law enforcement standards and financial transparency are under scrutiny, raising the likelihood of comprehensive recommendations for reform or oversight.
The final report will be made publicly available and delivered to top state officials and legislative leaders within six months, creating a clear timeline for accountability and potential follow-up actions, while the bill’s sunset clause ensures this is a focused, time-limited intervention.
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Review Hempstead Police Department
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to local government
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 47–15
- Ordered to third reading cal.1747
- Referred to rules
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.
Study Hempstead Police Department
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Taylor Darling
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 6568 A. 8408
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
June 16, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. RAYNOR -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT directing the division of criminal justice services to study the state of the police department in the village of Hempstead and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative findings. It is of the utmost importance that the various police departments of this state engage in modern, effective policing to ensure the safety of our communities. Police departments must be free of corruption and engaging in best practices in order to carry out their vital charge. After a recent spate of charges of corruption among the leadership of the police department of the village of Hempstead, Nassau County, and after a recent conviction thereof, the legislature finds that it is in the interests of the state to ensure that the police department of this village is properly ensuring public safety.
§ 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the division of criminal justice services shall, within thirty days of the effective date of this act, undertake a study in consultation with the comptroller of the state of New York, regarding the policies, practices and finances of the police department of the village of Hempstead, Nassau County, and regarding the state of public safety in the village of Hempstead. The police department shall provide, and the division of criminal justice services and the comptroller shall review, any and all documents, including but not limited to records, financial statements and written policies regarding policing and the state of the police department in the village of Hempstead.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13400-01-9
S. 6568 2 A. 8408
§ 3. The division of criminal justice services shall conduct at least one hearing in the village of Hempstead regarding public safety and the state of the police department. The division of criminal justice services shall take any written testimony as it deems necessary in order to aid such study, and shall take all other steps necessary to provide a thorough analysis of all issues described in this act.
§ 4. The division of criminal justice services, in consultation with the comptroller, shall issue its final report no later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this act. The division of criminal justice services shall issue its final report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the chair of the senate committee on codes and the assembly committee on codes, and post a copy of such report on its website.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed one year after the date on which this act shall have become law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act directing the division of criminal justice services to study the state of the police department in the village of Hempstead and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
To study the state of the police department in the Village of Hempstead.
Summary of provisions
Section one establishes the legislative findings.
Section two directs the Division of Criminal Justice Services to study the state of the police department of the Village of Hempstead.
Section three directs the Division of Criminal Justice Services to conduct at least one hearing in the Village of Hempstead.
Section four directs the Division o 'Criminal Justice Services to issue a report no later than 180 days after the effective date.
Section five establishes the effective date and sunset date.
Justification
Recently, there have been a number of charges of corruption within high- ranking officials of the police department in the Village of Hempstead in Nassau county. As such, the State must study the practices, proce- dures, and finances of the police department, in order to ensure that public safety is being protected and the community is being well-served by its police force. It is imperative that all New York residents are protected by a well-run police department, free from criminal activity within its own ranks, in order to further the important goal of public safety.
Prior legislative history
2019:
New bill
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed repealed one year after he date on which this act shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.