Opn. No.

Robert I. Williamson, Esq. County Attorney Tompkins County

You inquire whether the officers of the Ithaca College Office of Safety and Security have police officer status by reason of their appointment as regular deputy sheriffs by the sheriff of Tompkins County under section 652 (2) of the County Law.

It is clear that regular deputy sheriffs appointed pursuant to County Law, § 652 (2) are police officers (Criminal Procedure Law, §1.20 [34] [b]). Therefore, if the officers providing protection on the Ithaca College Campus are regular deputy sheriffs under section 652 (2), they possess police…