Directs the borough president of each borough in the city of New York to establish a precinct commander appointment board in each police precinct in the city of New York for the purpose of evaluating and selecting the precinct commander for such police precinct.
Summary
This bill would create a precinct commander appointment board in every New York City police precinct to evaluate and select the precinct commander when a vacancy occurs. The boards would be established by each borough president and would include local community representation, NYPD leadership, and, in NYCHA areas, a tenant association representative. The bill requires the board to receive candidate information from the police commissioner, consider eligible candidates who have reached at least the rank of sergeant one year before the selection process, and choose a new commander by majority vote within 30 days of notice of the vacancy.
The bill also sets out how the boards would operate, including meeting notice requirements, the ability to participate by video or conference call, and the designation of the community board chair as board chair. Members would serve without extra compensation and would not lose eligibility for other public office or employment because of board service. The measure would take effect 90 days after becoming law and would amend the New York City Administrative Code, creating a new local appointment process that would override the usual civil service rule referenced in the bill.
Impact
The bill would amend the New York City Administrative Code to add a new section governing precinct commander selection in the city, shifting part of the appointment process from the police commissioner alone to a precinct-level board structure. It would affect NYPD command appointments in all city precincts, with additional representation in precincts located in NYCHA areas, and would require the commissioner to provide candidate and background information to the board. The measure would also create procedural obligations for borough presidents, community boards, city council members, and the Department of Civil Service representative serving as board secretary.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from hearings or floor action. Based on the bill text alone, the proposal appears to reflect a reform-oriented approach emphasizing community participation and local input in police leadership selection. The absence of recorded votes or discussion means the overall sentiment cannot be measured from legislative history in the materials provided.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely to be the bill’s transfer of authority over precinct commander selection away from the police commissioner and toward a mixed local board, which could raise concerns about management control, civil service norms, and police chain-of-command. Supporters would likely favor increased community oversight, borough-level input, and tenant representation in NYCHA areas, while critics may argue that the process could politicize command appointments or complicate timely staffing decisions. The bill’s explicit reference to overriding Civil Service Law section 70 also suggests potential legal or procedural concerns about how the new appointment process would fit within existing state and city personnel rules.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-307.1, relating to elections; districts, precincts, and polling places; super precincts; pilot program.