§ 255. Probation in the city of New York. 1. There is hereby created a
department of probation in and for the city of New York to have charge
of all probation work in the supreme, family and criminal courts in the
counties of Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens and Richmond.

2. The head of such department shall be a director of probation
appointed by the mayor of the city of New York to serve during the
pleasure of the mayor. The director shall have charge of the
administration of the department and shall be responsible for carrying
out the functions of the department including intake, investigation,
supervision, conciliation and pre-disposition social treatment in cases
coming to the courts referred to in this section. The director may,
from time to time, create, abolish, transfer and consolidate bureaus and
other units within the department as he may determine necessary for
efficient operation thereof. He also shall have the power to appoint and
remove such deputy directors, assistants, probation officers and other
employees as may be needed for the performance of the duties of the
department and may prescribe their duties and fix their compensation,
within appropriations made available therefor by the city of New York
and subject to all applicable civil service laws and rules and
regulations. The director may, in his discretion, appoint volunteer
probation officers, when necessary, provided they have the
qualifications required of salaried officers, but no such volunteer
probation officer shall receive pay from the public funds for his
services. The city of New York shall make the necessary appropriation
for the salaries of the director and of all officers and employees of
the department as referred to herein, as well for the expenses actually
and necessarily incurred by such director, officers and employees in the
performance of their duties.

3. The director shall discharge his powers and responsibilities in
accordance with all laws and rules applicable to probation and with the
general rules regulating methods and procedure in the administration of
probation as adopted from time to time pursuant to section two hundred
forty-three of this chapter. He may adopt departmental rules, not
inconsistent with law or the aforesaid general rules, to regulate the
policies, programs, standards, and methods of procedure in relation to
probation and the powers and duties of officers and employees as in his
judgment he deems proper.

4. The head of such probation department, out of moneys appropriated
to such department for that purpose, is authorized to grant scholarships
to employees in the probation service in such department, for graduate
training in the field of probation at graduate schools or departments of
social work located within the state whose programs are registered by
the regents and accredited by the council on social work education. Each
such scholarship shall entitle the holder thereof to a sum sufficient to
pay the cost of tuition, not to exceed two thousand dollars annually,
while in attendance at any of the said schools or departments for a
period not to exceed two years of graduate professional study.
Scholarships under this section shall be awarded to employees in the
probation service in such department who apply therefor in the order of
their seniority in their civil service titles.

5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or of the New York city
charter or administrative code, any duly appointed officer or employee
of such probation department may reside in any county within the state.