Ogden officials support statewide legislation providing tax exemptions to special police officers

In communities throughout New York State, special police officers play a vital role in ensuring the safety and security of our neighborhoods. These dedicated individuals, often unpaid volunteers, consistently go above and beyond to serve the community and augment law enforcement agencies.

Despite their invaluable service, special police officers currently do not qualify for tax exemptions for their contributions. However, there’s potential for this to change. Thanks to the efforts of Assemblyman Josh Jensen and Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, a bill has been introduced in both chambers of the New York State Legislature. This bill aims to provide a partial exemption from real property taxes for real property owned by special police officers residing in any county, with the exception of counties with a population of one million or more.

“During my tenure as a Monroe County legislator, I recognized the need to attract and retain volunteers at all levels of our emergency services system. With collaboration from Village of Spencerport Mayor Gary Penders and Monroe County Legislator Paul Dondorfer, we proposed the initial language and guidelines that later became the adopted state exemption for Fire and EMS volunteers. While this was a tremendous achievement, the current exemptions fail to include the crucial volunteers in our auxiliary police departments statewide,” said Ogden Town Supervisor Mike Zale.

“Our Town of Ogden Special Police Force consists of some of the most exceptionally committed and selfless individuals I have ever met. They exemplify what it means to serve and can always be relied upon when our police department requires assistance. The tax exemption currently proposed in the state legislature would be a gesture of gratitude to the men and women of our Special Police Force, recognizing their unwavering service and ongoing impact within our community.

“I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Assemblyman Jensen and Sen. Ortt for introducing such an important bill and for being a voice for law enforcement in New York State,” concluded Zale.

The Ogden Special Police Force is a dedicated all-volunteer organization comprised of both men and women who are deeply committed to serving and safeguarding the town and its residents. One of their primary responsibilities involves conducting thorough “house checks” for residents who are away, ensuring the security of their homes and promptly notifying them of any irregularities. Additionally, these officers play a crucial role in managing various aspects of town and village events, including traffic control, crowd management, and bike patrols. Notably, several members of our Special Police Force also serve as court officers at the Ogden Town Court, further showcasing their contributions to community safety and well-being.

“The Ogden Special Police Force is a vital resource and is a force-multiplier for the agency,” said Ogden Police Chief Travis Gray. “Special police are called upon to assist during major incidents, special events, and any other special situations that arise, which ultimately saves costs and expands the capabilities of the department. As our special police officers are volunteers, I fully support them receiving tax exemptions similar to those already provided to other volunteer first responders. It’s the least we can do to say thank you to the dedicated special police officers in our town and across the state.”

Assembly bill A09577 has been referred to the Real Property Taxation Committee and Senate bill S08773A has been referred to the Local Government Committee. If adopted, officers who have served a minimum of two years and reside in the city, town or village which is served by such special police, will qualify for this exemption.

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