BILL NUMBER: S7385

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to granting
peace officer status to certain employees of the department of public
safety of the Syracuse city school district

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislative proposal is to enhance school safety, by
providing retired law enforcement officers employment with the Syracuse
City School District, as Special Patrol Officers (SPOs), Director of
School Security and Safety, or Assistant Director of School Security and
Safety.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 2.10 of the Criminal Procedure Law to add a new
subdivision 88 that authorizes peace officer status for retired police
officers as SPOs hired by the Syracuse City School District.
              

Section 2 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The justification for this legislative proposal lies in the fact retired
law enforcement officers are great assets to school districts. Specif-
ically, such individuals' accumulated knowledge and experiences further
enhances school districts' navigational efforts to increase school safe-
ty and security. Quite simply, they possess a wide scope of the requi-
site knowledge of the criminal justice system, to which school adminis-
trators, teachers, counselors, support staff, students and persons
within a parental role can rely. Moreover, their specialized trainings
would enable them to serve as more than security guards; their collab-
oration with educators, parents and students would provide internal
opportunities to further enhance school-based programs that promote
interne safety, drug abuse resistance counseling, and environmental
safety and planning. What's more, retired law enforcement officers could
assist in the de-escalation of relatively minor situations. This level
of staffing would enable the school district to move this important
safety initiative forward, in achieving our school safety and security
objectives.

Retired law enforcement officers would serve as a cost-effective
solution for school districts. Because of their extensive law enforce-
ment training and experiences, school districts would not have to expend
funds to train them. In addition, by providing them with the peace offi-
cer authority to enact arrests and carry weapons, retired law enforce-
ment officers would serve as a deterrent to potential external threats
to school districts.

"Onondaga County was ranked eighth statewide for violent crime at a rate
of 342.4 per 100,000 people in 2023," (Tampone, 2025). This data encom-
passes the City of Syracuse and the Syracuse City School District. The
goal of the Syracuse City School District is to provide a safe learning
and working environment for our students, staff and visitors. Our goal

is to enhance individuals' personal sense of safety and well- being,
while on our property.

The adoption of this Legislative Proposal request would allow the Syra-
cuse City School District Department of Public Safety to hire a diverse
group of retired law enforcement officers.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.