New York Consolidated Laws, Civil Service Law - CVS § 83. Legislative intent

In the event that municipalities propose a merger of all or part of existing police agencies within counties in establishing a countywide, a part-county or combinations of municipal police agencies, orderly transitional procedures will be required.  In such consolidations of the police functions within a county it is necessary to provide a uniform and equitable method for transferring the members of existing police departments into the combined agency structure.  Such methods should protect the rights held by present employees in their existing organization.