New York Consolidated Laws, General Municipal Law - GMU § 50-m. Civil actions against police and peace officers of Suffolk county;  defense and indemnification

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or local law, code or charter, Suffolk county, upon discretionary adoption of a local law, ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation, shall provide for the defense of any civil action or proceeding brought against a duly appointed police or peace officer, as defined in section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, employed by the county of Suffolk, and shall indemnify and save harmless such officer from any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction whenever such action, proceeding or judgment is for damages, including punitive or exemplary damages, arising out of a negligent act or other tort of such officer committed while in the proper discharge of his duties and within the scope of his employment.

2. The determination of whether any such officer properly discharged his duties within the scope of his employment shall be made in a manner which shall be established by rules and regulations and procedures promulgated by the Suffolk county executive and adopted by the Suffolk county legislature.

3. No action or special proceeding instituted hereunder shall be prosecuted or maintained against Suffolk county or such officer unless notice of claim shall have been made and served upon such county in compliance with section fifty-e of this article.  Every such action shall be commenced pursuant to the provisions of section fifty-i of this article.