Law Enforcement

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included a claim about allowing peace officers to wear their home department's uniform under certain conditions, which is not supported in the official source material.

Expanding Rules for Peace Officers Working Outside Their Home Area

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to require peace officers working outside their main area to notify local authorities and wear uniforms with special markings.

What This Bill Does

• Removes a rule that only applies these requirements to Davidson or Rutherford County.
• Requires peace officers working elsewhere to notify the chief law enforcement officer of their location and time before starting work.
• Makes sure peace officers wear uniforms with special markings when working outside their main area.

Who It Names or Affects

• Peace officers who work in areas other than where they are based
• Local police chiefs and sheriffs

Terms To Know

chief law enforcement officer

The main person in charge of a local police department or sheriff's office.

primary jurisdiction

The area where a peace officer is officially based and works regularly.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if the chief law enforcement officer does not agree to other arrangements for notification.
• It's unclear how this bill will be enforced or monitored across different counties in Tennessee.
• The bill did not pass, so it has no legal effect.

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that if a full-time sworn peace officer is working to provide uniformed security, direct traffic, exercise crowd control or perform any other such duty in a jurisdiction other than the officer's primary jurisdictio
n, then the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction in which the peace officer is working must be notified of the location and length of the officer's assignment. For work performed in areas without a police department, the county sheriff is th
e
chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction. For work performed within an area that maintains a police department, the chief law enforcement officer is the police chief. Notice to the chief law enforcement officer must be provided in writing by t
h
e employer of the peace officer within five days before the date of service, unless other arrangements are made with the chief law enforcement officer.

Present law provides that while a full-time sworn peace officer, who is certified by law, is employed
in a jurisdiction other than the peace officer's primary jurisdiction, the officer's clothing must bear insignia and markings clearly designating that the peace officer is a private duty law enforcement officer.
The peace officer standards and training c
ommission of this state must establish design criteria for the insignia and markings.
The peace officer may also wear the primary jurisdiction's uniform, if the jurisdiction has authorized its officers to do so. The jurisdiction may establish reasonable
regulations for the wearing of its uniforms during the employment.

Under present law, the above provisions only apply to sworn peace officers engaged in employment outside their primary jurisdiction and within Davidson or Rutherford County. This bill d
eletes this limitation provision and, instead, applies the above provisions to all jurisdictions in this state.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 234
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 89
By Hakeem

HB0089
000739
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62,
Chapter 35, relative to peace officers providing
security outside of primary jurisdiction.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-35-141, is amended by deleting
subsection (c).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.