The mayor of each city of this state and the mayor of each incorporated village may issue, under the seal of his or her office, to each police officer and firefighter appointed by the duly-constituted authorities of such city or village, a certificate of the appointment and qualification of such police officer and firefighter as such, and specifying the duration of his or her term of office; and it shall thereupon be the duty of every street surface and elevated railroad company carrying on business within such city or village, to transport every such police officer and firefighter free of charge while he or she is traveling in the course of the performance of the duties of his or her office. Every telegraph or telephone company engaged in business within such city or village, shall afford to such police officer and firefighter the use of its telegraph lines or telephones for the purpose of making and receiving reports and communications in the course of the performance of his or her official duties.
New York Legal Code