S.B. 758: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - COMMUNITY COLLEGES: POLICE
Senate Bill 758 (as introduced 10-16-97)
Sponsor: Senator Jon Cisky
Committee: Judiciary
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to allow the board of a school district operating a community college to establish a department of public safety for that community college for the protection of persons and property. If a school board established a department of public safety, it could grant to the public safety officers the authority of peace or law enforcement officers. Public safety or police officers of a community college to whom the powers and authority of a peace officer were granted under the bill would have to meet the minimum standards of the Michigan Law Enforcement Officers Training Council Act.
Before granting community college public safety officers the powers and authority of peace or law enforcement officers, the board would have to conduct at least two public hearings.
A board could not grant the powers and authority of a peace or law enforcement officer to its public safety officers unless it created a public safety advisory committee. The advisory committee would have to comprise two members of the faculty and two members of the staff of the community college. The advisory committee would receive and address grievances by persons against the community college's public safety officers or against its public safety department. The advisory committee could recommend to the board or administration that disciplinary measures be taken against a public safety or police officer who was found responsible for misconduct in office.
The jurisdiction of a community college's public safety or police officers granted the power and authority of a peace or law enforcement officer under the bill would include all property owned or leased by the community college in Michigan and extend to the public right-of-way traversing or contiguous to that property. Jurisdiction would be limited to the protection of persons and property on the community college's property, unless a response were made off campus at the specific request of another law enforcement agency or under a mutual aid agreement with another law enforcement agency.
The public safety department of each community college would have to submit monthly uniform crime reports pertaining to crimes within the department's jurisdiction to the Department of State Police as is required of local police departments and county sheriffs' departments under the uniform crime reporting Act (MCL 28.251).
Proposed MCL 380.1606b-380.1606e - Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government. Many community colleges within the State (Macomb, Lansing, Delta, Grand Rapids, Oakland, and Kirkland, for example) already employ a Public Safety Department consisting of peace officers certified by the Michigan Law Enforcement Officers Training Council. These officers are deputized by a local law enforcement agency, but otherwise work directly for a community college. The bill would permit the shift of the ability to grant the power and authority of a police officer from a local law enforcement agency to a community college.
- Fiscal Analyst: B. Baker
- M. Hansen
- E. Pratt
S9798\S758SA
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.