Law enforcement in Westchester County

There are forty-five local police agencies in Westchester County, New York. In recent years, rising economic costs have spurred some smaller communities to consolidate or contract their police services with other agencies.

Westchester County Department of Public Safety

Westchester County Department of Public Safety was created in 1979 through the merger of the Westchester County Sheriff's Office with the Westchester County Parkway Police. The Westchester County Police provide primary law enforcement services for county-owned parks, parkways, and facilities. They also patrol the Town of Mount Kisco and supplement patrol along with the New York State Police for the Town of Cortlandt. The Department is the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Westchester County.

In 2010, then-Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced a plan to merge the county departments of Public Safety and Emergency Services.^[1] As of 2021^[update], these departments remain separate, and the plan appears to have been abandoned.^[2]

Local police departments

The following departments are responsible for primary law enforcement in their respective jurisdictions.

Ardsley Village Police Department
Bedford Town Police Department
Briarcliff Manor Police Department
Bronxville Village Police Department
Buchanan Police Department
Croton-on-Hudson Police Department
Dobbs Ferry Village Police Department
Eastchester Town Police Department
Elmsford Village Police Department
Greenburgh Town Police Department
Harrison Village/Town Police Department
Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department
Irvington Village Police Department
Larchmont Village Police Department
Lewisboro Police Department
Mamaroneck Town Police Department
Mamaroneck Village Police Department
Mount Pleasant Town Police Department
City of Mount Vernon Police Department
New Castle Town Police Department
New Rochelle Police Department
North Castle Town Police Department
North Salem Town Police Department
Ossining Village Police Department
City of Peekskill Police Department
Pelham Manor Police Department
Pelham Village Police Department
Pleasantville Village Police Department
Port Chester Village Police Department
Pound Ridge Town Police Department
Rye Brook Police Department
Town of Rye Police Department
City of Rye Police Department
Scarsdale Village/Town Police Department
Sleepy Hollow Village Police Department
Somers Police Department
Tarrytown Police Department
Tuckahoe Village Police Department
City of White Plains Police Department
City of Yonkers Police Department^[3]
Yorktown Town Police Department

Other law enforcement agencies

Westchester County District Attorney Investigations Squad
Westchester County Department of Correction^[4]
Westchester County Probation Department^[5]
New York State Police (has multiple barracks located in Westchester County, responsible for police services in the towns of Cortlandt, Lewisboro, North Salem, Somers and Pound Ridge, on state roads and major thoroughfares such as New York State Thruway, Taconic State Parkway, Interstate 684, Interstate 95 as well as supplementing local police agencies with additional resources)
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police (NYS DEC Police)
New York State Park Police (responsible for patrol and security of all New York State Parks and Sites in Westchester County)
New York State University Police at Purchase College
New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police (NYC DEP Police) (Responsible for securing the NYC water supply system in Westchester County - i.e. NYC water shed located in Northern Westchester).
Town of Pelham Constable^[6]
The SPCA of Westchester Humane Law Enforcement has jurisdiction throughout Westchester to enforce Animal Cruelty laws.^[7]
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police (MTA Police) (Responsible for security and patrol of Metro-North Railroad property)
Amtrak Police

Bay constables

The City of Rye and Village of Mamaroneck employs seasonal bay constables who serve as peace officers. Constables patrol areas of Long Island Sound and enforce state, local maritime, environmental, fish, and wildlife laws. Bay constables are licensed armed peace officers as per NYS CPL 2.10(18).^[8]

Auxiliary police officers

Several municipalities in Westchester have auxiliary police units which contain volunteers who are trained peace officers and assist their police departments with special events, traffic control, crowd control and patrol under the supervision of full time police officers. Auxiliary police officers derive their authority through NYS CPL 2.10(26) and only have the powers of peace officers pursuant to the provisions of the New York State defense emergency act during a period of attack or imminent attack by enemy forces or while combating natural or man made disasters.^[8]

Public Safety Emergency Force

The Public Safety Emergency Force (PSEF) is a volunteer unit within the Westchester County Department of Public Safety.^[9] Members of the PSEF are appointed as part-time Deputy Sheriffs by the Commissioner/Sheriff and have full peace officer powers when activated pursuant to New York State criminal procedure law section 2.10 Subdivision 57a.^[8] All Members are provided with equipment including a county-issued handgun, which is registered on their pistol license with a PSEF ON Duty Only Restriction stamped on it.

Defunct law enforcement agencies

Cortlandt Town PD - disbanded; police services in Cortlandt provided by the New York State Police, augmented by the Westchester County Police.
Mount Kisco Town/Village PD - disbanded, officers merged with Westchester County Police. Mount Kisco is currently patrolled by Westchester County Police.
Ossining Town PD - The Village of Ossining Police provides police services to the unincorporated part of the Town of Ossining as well as the Village of Ossining.

References

^ "Proposal to Merge Depts. of Public Safety and Emergency Services". www.westchestergov.com. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
^ "Westchester County Public Safety". publicsafety.westchestergov.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
^ "City of Yonkers Police Department". City Of Yonkers. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
^ "Westchester County Department of Correction". correction.westchestergov.com. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
^ "Department of Probation". probation.westchestergov.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
^ "Town Constables". Town of Pelham. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
^ "Humane Law Enforcement". SPCA Westchester, New York. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
^ ^a ^b ^c "NYS Open Legislation". www.nysenate.gov.
^ "FAQs".^{[permanent dead link]}

[1] "Proposal to Merge Depts. of Public Safety and Emergency Services". www.westchestergov.com. Retrieved 2021-10-24.

[2] "Westchester County Public Safety". publicsafety.westchestergov.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24.

[3] "City of Yonkers Police Department". City Of Yonkers. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.

[4] "Westchester County Department of Correction". correction.westchestergov.com. Retrieved 2025-05-31.

[5] "Department of Probation". probation.westchestergov.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2025-05-31.

[6] "Town Constables". Town of Pelham. Retrieved 2025-05-31.

[7] "Humane Law Enforcement". SPCA Westchester, New York. Retrieved 2025-05-31.

[auto-8] "NYS Open Legislation". www.nysenate.gov.

[9] "FAQs".^{[permanent dead link]}

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