2015 -- S 0674

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LC001617

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- SPECIAL POLICE FOR PRIVATE

INSTITUTIONS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Goldin, and Metts

     Date Introduced: March 11, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 12-2.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-2.1 entitled "Special

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Police for Private Institutions" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-2.1-2. Powers of special police officers. – (a) Upon issuance of a license as a special

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police officer under § 12-2.1-1, the person so designated as a special police officer shall have the

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same immunities and may exercise, in and upon the lands and buildings of the institution by

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which the special police officer he or she is employed, and upon streets and highways

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immediately adjacent to those lands, the institution's lands and buildings, the same powers and

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authority of a police officer as are conferred by the laws of this state upon members of the

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division of state police, including the power to arrest persons for violation of state criminal

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statutes or for violation of city or town ordinances of the city or town in which the institution is

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located, for the purpose of protecting the institution's lands and buildings, and students,

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employees and visitors in and upon those lands and buildings.

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     (b) Where the institution has two (2) or more land areas and/or buildings separated by

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public or private lands not owned by the institution, said special police officers appointed under §

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12-2.1-1 shall also have jurisdiction in and upon the most natural public street or highway

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corridors for travel between the institution's properties. This jurisdiction is for the limited purpose

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of travel on those public streets or highways between those land areas and/or buildings, and not

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for the exercise of the powers and authority set forth in subsection (a) of this section, with the

 

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sole exception that those powers and authority may be exercised if, in the course of that travel,

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the special police officer views a person or persons in danger of imminent, immediate bodily

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harm.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- SPECIAL POLICE FOR PRIVATE

INSTITUTIONS

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     This act would set forth the jurisdiction of special police officers on public streets and

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highway corridors between land areas and/or buildings owned by educational institutions.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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