Informal Opinion No.

Lawrence J. Zobel, Esq. City Attorney, Dunkirk

You have asked whether on-duty police officers may be assigned by their commanding officers to act as security guards, to direct traffic or for crowd control purposes at places licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption. If police officers are authorized to serve in this capacity, you inquire whether the city may seek reimbursement from the licensee for the costs of providing these services.

Section 128 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law provides that:

"Except as otherwise provided in section one hundred twenty-eight-a, it…