Bill > A02404

This bill allows the towns of Webb (in Herkimer County) and Inlet (in Hamilton County) to create a joint police department through a specific process that involves voter approval and county government consent. The bill enables these towns to establish a shared police force by first submitting a proposition to voters in both towns and obtaining majority approval from the governing bodies of Herkimer and Hamilton Counties. If approved, the town boards must meet jointly to organize the department and establish comprehensive rules, including appointing a police chief, determining funding mechanisms, defining employee titles, and coordinating employment decisions. The joint department will have the power to hold property and inherit existing assets and contractual obligations from the individual town police departments. Either town can dissolve the joint department through a four-fifths vote of their town board, in which case the department's assets would be divided between Webb and Inlet. The legislation provides a flexible framework for regional law enforcement collaboration, allowing the towns to create a more efficient and potentially cost-effective policing model while maintaining local control over the department's operations and potential discontinuation.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2404