NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7337
SPONSOR: Magnarelli 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
Internet 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 (Syracuse) police department has for several years been operating
with dozens of vacant positions because of recruiting struggles,"
(Hogan, 2025). Such vacancies, at times, impacts response times for
non-priority calls for service within schools.
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.
Tampone, K., Top 15 NY counties by violent crime rate, Syracuse.com
February 2025
Hogan, P., Syracuse mayoral hopeful Pat Hogan calls for more cops, hous-
ing January 27, 2025, Syracuse.com
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7337
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Codes
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
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 88 to read as follows:
3 88. Designated employees of the Syracuse city school district, depart-
4 ment of public safety, who are retired law enforcement officers whose
5 primary role is the safety and security of schools, when they are
6 employed as a special patrol officer, assistant director of safety and
7 security, director of safety and security, and/or chief emergency offi-
8 cer, within the Syracuse city school district, as appointed by the board
9 of education to such positions, provided, however, that nothing in this
10 subdivision shall be deemed to authorize such officer to carry, possess,
11 repair, or dispose of a firearm unless the appropriate license therefor
12 has been issued pursuant to section 400.00 of the penal law.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11181-01-5
