Town of Bedford, NY
Westchester County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 20: Police Department
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Bedford: Art. I, 12-5-1989 as L.L. No. 7-1989. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Officers and employees — See Ch. 17.
[Adopted 12-5-1989 as L.L. No. 7-1989]

§ 20-1 Purpose.

The purpose of this Article is to authorize the Town of Bedford's participation in the establishment of a formal plan by which each member municipality of the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan makes its police personnel and equipment available to the other member municipalities when a condition exists that is beyond the scope of its own police resources.

§ 20-2 Definitions.

In consideration of the terms and conditions contained herein, the following definitions shall apply:
ASSISTING MUNICIPALITY
The municipality providing assistance to the requesting municipality pursuant to the terms of the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
The officer within the Town of Bedford who is authorized to request or grant a request for police assistance from another municipality. For the purposes of this Article, the Police Chief or other official in command, or acting in command, of the Town of Bedford Police Department, shall be deemed the "Chief Executive Officer."
DEPARTMENT HEAD
The Police Chief or other official in command or acting in command of a Police Department.
EMERGENCY
Shall have its common dictionary definition.
MUTUAL ASSISTANCE ZONE
For the purposes of this Article, the Town of Bedford is located in Zone No. 5, which includes the following municipalities: New Castle, Mount Kisco, North Castle and Bedford.
REQUESTING MUNICIPALITY
The municipality requesting the assistance of the police force of another municipality pursuant to the terms of the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan.

§ 20-3 Participation.

The Town of Bedford's participation in the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan is governed and liabilities and costs are apportioned pursuant to the provisions of the New York General Municipal Law, § 209-m, which provides, inter alia, that absent agreement to the contrary, the municipality receiving police aid (the requesting municipality) shall reimburse the municipality providing such aid (the assisting municipality) for any money paid by it for police salaries and other expenses incurred by it, including damage to or loss of equipment and supplies.

§ 20-4 Requests for assistance.

When the general public interest requires it, all requests for assistance shall be made by the Police Chief or other official in command or acting in command of the Town of Bedford Police Department.
A. 
In the event of such request for which no advance warning is available, a request for assistance may be made by telephone directly by the requesting municipality to each assisting municipality.
B. 
All other requests for assistance shall be made in writing sufficiently in advance of the event necessitating such aid as to enable each assisting municipality to best utilize its police force.
C. 
A requesting municipality shall request police services from the municipalities within the mutual assistance zone, which shall also include a response from the Westchester County Department of Public Safety.
D. 
The Commissioner/Sheriff of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety shall be notified whenever police assistance is sought from the county or any other municipality outside of the requesting municipality's mutual assistance zone.

§ 20-5 Included services.

The police services to be provided by the assisting municipality shall include only the uniformed police forces of the assisting municipality, unless specialized assistance is requested, along with all necessary equipment and supplies as specified in the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan.

§ 20-6 Control and direction.

The police force of the assisting municipality, immediately upon assignment to the requesting municipality, shall be under the control and direction of the department head of the requesting municipality for the duration of their duty within and until discharged by the requesting municipality.

§ 20-7 Costs incurred.

The cost of police services provided shall be paid by the requesting municipality pursuant to the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan.

§ 20-8 Conditions.

The following conditions shall be met before any request for assistance is made:
A. 
The emergency condition existing in the requesting municipality is a situation that is beyond the scope of that municipality's police resources.

§ 20-9 Withdrawal from plan.

The Town of Bedford may withdraw from the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan at any time, upon thirty (30) days' written notice to each of the involved parties, and thereafter shall no longer be considered a party to the plan.

§ 20-10 Responsibility for administration.

Pursuant to the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan, the Commissioner/Sheriff of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety shall assume responsibility for the administration of said plan.

§ 20-11 Authorization to enter agreement.

The Supervisor is hereby authorized to sign the Westchester County Police Mutual Aid and Assistance Plan with the County of Westchester for participation in said program.

§ 20-12 Penalties for offense.

Any person, firm or corporation who violates the provisions of this Article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.) per day for each offense or by imprisonment not to exceed fifteen (15) days, or both.