HB 2409 -- District Police Officers

Sponsor:  Walton

This bill allows the board of directors of any ambulance, fire
protection, school, or other special purpose district to appoint
or hire as many district police officers as the board deems
necessary to patrol the public buildings and property and other
facilities and locations over which the board has charge and
control.

The district police officers will have the same authority to
maintain order, preserve peace, and make arrests as regular peace
officers, including the power to expel persons from public
buildings and grounds for violating rules and regulations of the
board.

Unless licensed as a peace officer under Chapter 590, RSMo,
district police officers must complete at least 320 hours of
training as prescribed by the State Highway Patrol before
appointment or before beginning their duties.  The board can
continue to appoint guards and watchmen who are not given
district police officer powers.

Any person violating a board regulation or a peace preservation
ordinance will be guilty of a class B misdemeanor, prosecutable
in associate circuit court by the special purpose district's
legal officer or attorney or the county or city attorney.  The
board also may impose a fine for breach of the peace of up to
$500.

The bill contains an emergency clause.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm