Section 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.