CHAUTAUQUA — Chautauqua Institution is looking at available options for its security personnel in the wake of losing “special deputy” status.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said via news release in early January that the change in status was “communicated to Chautauqua Institution authorities earlier in the year when it was discovered that there was no such authority, which places Chautauqua County, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and any individuals operating under the false premise that they are ‘special deputies’ under potential liability and other legal consequences.”

John Shedd, vice president of campus planning and operations at the institution, has most recently coordinated with the town of Chautauqua to look into the possibility of establishing a constabulary.

“I know that the institution had approached the board and they have been discussing this aspect,” Town Clerk Rebecca Luba said.

A public hearing is scheduled for Monday at 7:15 p.m. in order to address the first step in the creation of town constable positions — passing legislation in the form of a local law

“This would be the first step before we could negotiate anything with the institution. We would have to create a local law town-wide,” Luba said. “We would have to establish a town law before we could establish a constable in any capacity.”

The agenda for the public hearing states that the qualifications of a constable would include a high school diploma, a minimum of three year’s full or part-time police or peace officer experience, a valid New York state driver’s license and pistol permit, as well as completion of a New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services police officer or peace officer course.

“We are grateful to the town of Chautauqua board and supervisor Don Emhart for being receptive to this potential arrangement,” said Jordan Steves, Chautauqua Institution director of Strategic Communications and Community Relations. “We are hopeful that the public writ large in the town of Chautauqua would recognize the benefit that this status would confer on citizens of the town as well as the institution.”

Steves echoed previous statements from the institution, noting that they are disappointed by the decision from Sheriff Jim Quattrone but respect his authority to remove the special deputy status.

Potentially establishing a constabulary is one option moving forward in addition to the possibility of granting some security personnel at the institution peace officer status.

State Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown, has introduced numerous pieces of legislation for the establishment of peace officer status, the most recent in 2019.

None have passed.

Steves noted that the institution is continuing to work with Goodell and State Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, on the establishment of peace officer status.

“We are pursuing other avenues to retain a similar level of safety and security at Chautauqua Institution and we are grateful to the town of being accepting of this,” he said.