BILL NUMBER: S8856
SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the county law and the correction law, in relation to
establishing county law enforcement civilian complaint review boards
 
PURPOSE:
To require counties to establish civilian complaint review boards, to
ensure that complainants are given a place to voice concerns outside of
the law enforcement agency they are accusing of wrongdoing, preventing
conflicts of interest.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends 209 of the county law to create Civilian Complaint
Review Boards, as well as establishing the membership requirements,
appointment procedures, and powers of those boards. Specifically, it
establishes the powers and obligations of those boards to independently
review complaints made to it concerning allegations of misconduct and
internal investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies, to make
findings based upon its deliberations, to recommend changes in county
policy and procedures, and any other powers granted by the County Board
of Supervisors. It also requires the sheriff to respond to the complaint
if those recommendations are not adopted and provides for a procedure to
extend the deadline to respond when necessary.
Section 2 amends 500-j of the correction law to permit members of a
County Civilian Complaint Review Board to visit correctional facilities.
Section 3 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State has a responsibility to ensure that all law enforcement
and correctional agencies operate with transparency, accountability, and
public trust. While some counties maintain internal mechanisms for
investigating complaints against County Law Enforcement Officers and
Correctional Officers, these systems often lack independence, consisten-
cy, and public credibility. Legislation requiring counties to establish
Civilian Complaint Review Boards (CCRBs) is a necessary step to
strengthen oversight, improve community confidence, and ensure fair and
impartial review of misconduct allegations.
Independent civilian oversight promotes accountability by separating the
complaint-review process from the agencies being reviewed. Internal
investigations, even when conducted in good faith, can create real or
perceived conflicts of interest that undermine public trust. Civilian
Complaint Review Boards provide an independent forum for reviewing
complaints, increasing confidence that allegations of misconduct will be
handled objectively and thoroughly.
Requiring counties to establish CCRBs also creates uniform minimum stan-
dards of oversight across New York State. Statewide legislation will
ensure that all New Yorkers will have access to meaningful and transpar-
ent complaint-review processes.
Finally, extending civilian oversight to Correctional Officers recog-
nizes the unique vulnerabilities of incarcerated individuals and the
closed nature of correctional settings. Independent review is partic-
ularly critical in environments where individuals may fear retaliation
or lack meaningful access to complaint mechanisms.
By requiring counties to establish Civilian Complaint Review Boards for
County Law Enforcement Officers and Correctional Officers, New York
State can promote accountability, strengthen public trust, and uphold
the principles of transparency and justice that are fundamental to
effective public safety systems.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2026: New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The bill would take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S8856: 209 county law, 500-j correction law