2019 -- H 5490

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LC001422

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- SPECIAL POLICE FOR PRIVATE

INSTITUTIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: February 14, 2019

     Referred To: House 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.

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     (a) Upon issuance of a license as a special police officer under § 12-2.1-1, the person so

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designated as a special police officer shall have the same immunities and may exercise, in and

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upon the lands and buildings of the institution by which he or she the special police officer is

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employed, and upon streets and highways immediately adjacent to those lands the institution's

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lands and buildings, the same powers and authority of a police officer as are conferred by the

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laws of this state upon members of the division of state police, including the power to arrest

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persons for violation of state criminal statutes or for violation of city or town ordinances of the

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city or town in which the institution is located., for the purpose of protecting the institution's

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lands and buildings, students, employees and visitors in and upon those lands and buildings.

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     (b) If the institution has two (2) or more land areas or buildings separated by public or

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private lands not owned by the institution, the special police officers appointed under § 12-2.1-1

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shall also have jurisdiction in and upon the adjacent public street or highway corridors for travel

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between the institution's properties. This jurisdiction is for the limited purpose of travel on those

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public streets or highways between those land areas or buildings, and not for the exercise of the

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powers and authority set forth in subsection (a) of this section, with the sole exception that those

 

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powers and authority may be exercised if, in the course of that travel, the special police officer

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views a person or persons in danger of imminent bodily 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 educational

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institutions and upon the land and buildings thereof and would clarify and limit their jurisdiction

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to instances where the officer views a person or persons in danger of imminent bodily harm, on

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public streets and highway corridors between land areas and/or buildings owned by these

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educational institutions.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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