§ 25-a. Fingerprints of persons before appointment as town police
officers, or as constables possessing powers in criminal matters. No
person shall be appointed or reappointed a member of the police
department, or a special police officer, or a constable not limited to
powers and duties in civil actions and proceedings only, in any town,
who shall not previously, for the purposes of this section, have
submitted fingerprints in the form and manner prescribed by the division
of criminal justice services to the town board or other board or officer
of the town empowered by law to make such appointment or reappointment,
and it shall be the duty of such board or officer, before making such
appointment or reappointment, to compare or cause to be compared such
fingerprints with fingerprints filed with the division of criminal
justice services; provided, however, that in any case where the
fingerprints of any such person shall once have been submitted pursuant
to this section and are on file with the board empowered to make the
appointment or reappointment, no new submission thereof shall be
required, nor shall such board be required to make or cause to be made
such comparison if such comparison shall have been made previously
pursuant to this section and certification thereof by such department is
on file with such board.