§ 271. Local conditional release commission; organization. 1. Every county, and the city of New York, may adopt a local law establishing a local conditional release commission. Such commission shall be appointed by the county executive, upon the advice and consent of the county legislature, or in the case of the city of New York, such commission shall be appointed by the mayor, upon the advice and consent of the city council. Each such commission shall consist of at least five members. Each member of the commission shall have graduated from an accredited four year college or university and shall have had at least five years of experience in the field of criminology, administration of criminal justice, law enforcement, probation, parole, law, social work, social science, psychology, psychiatry or corrections.

2. The term of office of each member of such commission shall be for four years; provided, however, that any member chosen to fill a vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be appointed for the remainder of the unexpired term of the member whom the person is to succeed. Vacancies caused by expiration of term or otherwise shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.

3. No member of the commission shall serve as a representative of any political party on an executive committee or other governing body thereof, as an executive officer or employee of any political committee, organization or association, nor be a judge or justice, a sheriff or district attorney.

4. Any member may be removed by the county executive, or the mayor in the case of the city of New York, for cause, after notice and an opportunity to be heard.

5. The director of the local probation department, or such director's designee, shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the commission.

6. The local probation department shall assign staff support to the commission.