Grants security officers serving at the village of Ardsley village court peace officer status; provides that such officers shall complete training if they are not otherwise police officers or peace officers.
Summary
A03988 amends the New York Criminal Procedure Law to add employees of the Village of Ardsley village court who serve as security officers to the list of peace officers. The bill gives those officers only limited peace officer powers under Criminal Procedure Law section 2.20, specifically the powers referenced in paragraphs (b), (h), and (i) of subdivision one, rather than the full authority of police officers or broader peace officers.
The bill also makes clear that the new status does not authorize these security officers to carry, possess, repair, or dispose of a firearm unless they separately obtain the proper license under Penal Law section 400.00. If a covered security officer is not already a police officer or peace officer under existing law, the bill requires completion of the training mandated by Criminal Procedure Law section 2.30. The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Impact
This bill would create a narrow, locality-specific addition to the peace officer categories in New York law by amending Criminal Procedure Law section 2.10. Its practical effect is to confer limited law-enforcement authority on Ardsley village court security officers while preserving existing firearm licensing rules and training requirements. The measure affects only the Village of Ardsley village court security staff and does not broadly change statewide peace officer powers beyond this specific classification.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests generally favorable support for the bill. It passed the Assembly Codes Committee unanimously, advanced through the Rules Committee with only one dissenting vote, and received strong final passage on the Assembly floor with 133 yeas and 14 nays. No committee transcript is available, so the record shows support in the legislative process but does not provide detailed debate or public testimony.
Contention
The main policy issue appears to be whether court security officers at a single village court should be granted peace officer status at all, and if so, how much authority they should have. The bill’s sponsors and supporters appear to favor a limited grant of authority tied to court security needs, while the presence of some negative votes on final passage indicates at least some concern about expanding peace officer classifications, even in a narrow, local context. The bill’s explicit limits on firearm authority and its training requirement suggest an effort to address safety and oversight concerns.
Same As
Grants security officers serving at the village of Ardsley village court peace officer status; provides that such officers shall complete training if they are not otherwise police officers or peace officers.