Law Enforcement

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about how funds will be allocated or any limits on the number of officers who can receive the supplement.

Campus Police Officer Training Pay Bonus

This bill adds a $800 cash salary supplement for campus police officers and public safety officers who complete their annual in-service training.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a $800 cash salary supplement to campus police officers and public safety officers who successfully complete their annual in-service training as required by § 38-8-107(d).
• Requires the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) to provide funds for these supplements to institutions, schools, or boards that employ such officers.
• Ensures that officers who served on active duty during a period of armed conflict are eligible for the supplement even if military service prevented them from attending training.

Who It Names or Affects

• Campus police officers and public safety officers at colleges and universities in Tennessee.
• The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST).
• Institutions, schools, or boards that employ campus police officers and public safety officers.

Terms To Know

Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST)

A state agency responsible for training and certifying law enforcement officers in Tennessee.

In-service training

Training that police officers must complete each year to maintain their certification.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the funds will be allocated or if there are limits on the number of officers who can receive the supplement.
• It is unclear what happens if an officer's military service prevents them from attending training in future years.

Official Summary Text

PRESENT LAW
–
POLICE OFFICERS

Present law provides that an
eligible local unit of government that requires all police officers to complete an in-service training course each calendar year of at least 40 hours at a school certified or recognized by the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission ("co
m
mission") is entitled to receive a pay supplement of $800 for any one officer in any one year, from the commission, to be paid to each officer, in addition to the officer's regular salary. Police officers are generally eligible for the pay supplement upo
n
successful completion of 40 hours of the in-service training.

Present law provides that commission funds made available to local units for the purposes described above must be received, held, and expended in accordance with
all of
the following, as well
as rules issued by the commission:



Funds provided must be used only as a cash salary supplement to police officers


Each police officer is entitled to receive the state supplement that the officer's qualifications brought to the local unit


Funds provided must not be used to supplant existing salaries or as substitutes for normal salary increases periodically due to police officers


The cash salary supplement is considered as a bonus for the successful completion of training and must not be considered as salary for subsequent years' determination of supplement or retirement purposes


No funds must be expended unless such funds are specifically appropriated for the purposes set forth in law

PRESENT LAW - SHERIFFS

Present law provides that all sheriffs must c
omplete annual in-service training and receive cash salary supplements as provided by the commission for police officers. The commission must apply the terms and conditions of the law to any sheriff, with certain exceptions.

THIS BILL
–
CAMPUS POLICE OFF
ICERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS

This bill adds to the present law by providing that campus police officers and public safety officers successfully completing the annual in-service training must receive cash salary supplements in the same manner and unde
r the same conditions as set forth in the present law for police officers, except that the commission must make the funds for salary supplements available to the appropriate institutions, schools, or boards for payment to campus police officers and public

safety officers. Such officers who served, or serve, on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during a period of armed conflict prescribed by presidential proclamation or federal law must receive the cash salary supplement, if the service
p
revented, or prevents, the campus police officer or public safety officer from attending the in-service training program.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 8
By Hale

SENATE BILL 478
By Bowling

SB0478
000017
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 38 and Section 49-7-118, relative to
commissioned police officers on college and
university campuses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-111, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(h)
(1) Campus police officers and public safety officers successfully
completing the annual in-service training as required by § 38-8-107(d) must
receive cash salary supplements in the same manner and under the same
conditions as set forth in this part for police officers, except that the commission
shall make the funds for salary supplements available to the appropriate
institutions, schools, or boards for payment to campus police officers and public
safety officers.
(2) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, campus police officers
and public safety officers who served, or serve, on active duty in the armed
forces of the United States during a period of armed conflict prescribed by
presidential proclamation or federal law must receive the cash salary supplement
provided pursuant to this subsection (h), if the service prevented, or prevents, the
campus police officer or public safety officer from attending the in-service training
program.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.