Section 710. Director of the office of homeland security; appointment of the director; powers and duties

1. The director of the office of homeland
  security (director) shall be appointed by the governor, by and with  the
  advice and consent of the senate, and hold office at the pleasure of the
  governor.  The  salary  of  the  director  shall  be  fixed  at  a level
  commensurate with that of the state officers identified in paragraph (a)
  of subdivision one of section one hundred sixty-nine of this chapter.
    2. The director, acting by and through  the  office,  shall  have  the
  power and duty to:
    (a) administer the duties of the office pursuant to this section;
    (b)  administer  such  other duties as may be devolved upon the office
  from time to time pursuant to law;
    (c) cooperate with and assist other  state  and  federal  departments,
  boards,  commissions, agencies and public authorities in the development
  and administration of policies and  protocols  which  will  enhance  the
  security of the citizens of the state;
    (d)  enter  into  contracts  with  any  person,  firm,  corporation or
  governmental agency, and do  all  things  necessary  to  carry  out  the
  functions,  powers  and  duties  expressly  set  forth  in this article,
  subject to any applicable laws, rules or regulations;
    (e) establish  offices,  departments  and  bureaus  and  make  changes
  therein  as  he  or she may deem necessary to carry out the functions of
  the office. One of the divisions within the office shall be  the  office
  of  cyber  security and critical infrastructure coordination which shall
  be dedicated to the identification and mitigation of the  state's  cyber
  security infrastructure vulnerabilities; and
    (f)  subject  to  the provisions of this article and the civil service
  law, and  the  rules  and  regulations  adopted  pursuant  thereto,  the
  director  may  appoint other officers, employees, agents and consultants
  as may be necessary, prescribe their duties, fix their compensation, and
  provide for payment of their reasonable  expenses,  all  within  amounts
  available  therefor by appropriation. The director may transfer officers
  or employees from their positions to other positions in the  office,  or
  abolish or consolidate such positions.