BILL NUMBER: S6738
SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 104 of the laws of 1936 relating to providing
for the establishment, organization and operation of police departments
in the towns of Westchester county and chapter 891 of the laws of 1972
relating to continuing special provisions relating to police departments
of certain villages, in relation to suspension of an officer pending a
trial of disciplinary charges
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Provides that police officers in the towns and villages of Westchester
county can be suspended without pay for not more than 30 days, pending a
trial of disciplinary charges. This bill does not apply to police offi-
cers in Westchester county who are already covered by section 75 of the
civil service law, and which includes this protection.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 7 of chapter 104 of the laws of 1936 to limit,
pending the trial of charges, the number of days that a police officer
within towns of Westchester county may be suspended without pay to 30
days.
Section 2 amends subdivision 9 of section 18 of section 2 of chapter 891
of the laws of 1972 to limit, pending the trial of charges, the number
of days that a police officer within villages of Westchester county may
be suspended-without pay to 30 days.
Section 3 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, disciplinary proceedings for police officers who work for
police departments within towns and villages of Westchester county are
governed by chapter 104 of the laws of 1936 and chapter 891 of the laws
of 1972, which only apply to such police officers. These laws do not
limit the number of days these police officers may be suspended without
pay, pending disciplinary hearings, resulting in lengthy suspensions
without pay. Moreover, most police officers throughout the state are
protected by sections 74 and 75 of the civil service law, which limit
the number of days a police officer may be suspended without pay to 30
days.
Village and Town police officers in Westchester county should be
provided with the same protections as other police officers throughout
the rest of the state. This legislation would correct this lack of
uniformity.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
(2023-2024): S9080/A10217 Referred to Local Government; referred to
Governmental Employees in the Assembly
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The act would take effect immediately.