ALBANY — The state Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would let the villages of Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Malone hire retired state troopers to serve as part-time police officers.

Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, sponsored the measure at the request of the three villages.

“There is a lot of training required for new police officers, which takes time and costs money,” Little said in a press release. “Retired state troopers have the experience and know-how to step into a part-time village police officer position. This would give these three villages a level of flexibility that would benefit them and their taxpayers.”

A companion bill sponsored by Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay, was referred to the Assembly Governmental Employees Committee.