PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS H.B. 5121 (H-1): REVISED COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 5121 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Tupac Hunter
House Committee: Education
Senate Committee: Education
Date Completed: 9-21-04
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to permit a school district with at least 20,000 pupils and a city in its territory with a population of at least 180,000 to employ public safety officers or police officers, and grant them the same powers and authority of peace officers under the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Michigan Vehicle Code. (As of the 2000 census, this would apply to the school districts of Detroit and Grand Rapids.)
Before granting these powers and authority to a peace or law enforcement officer, a school board would have to conduct at least two public hearings.
In addition, the board would have to create a public safety advisory committee. The committee would have to be composed of three to five members appointed by the chief administrator of the school district, with the concurrence of the school board. The public safety advisory committee would have to receive and address grievances against the public safety officers or police officers, or against the public safety department or police department of that school district. The committee could recommend to the board or the school administration that disciplinary measures be taken against a public safety officer or police officer found responsible for misconduct in office.
The jurisdiction of school public safety officers or police officers granted powers and authority under the bill would include all territory within the boundaries of the school district and all property outside the boundaries of the school district that was owned, leased, or rented by or was otherwise under the legal control of the school district that employed the public safety officers.
A school's public safety department or police department and each local law enforcement agency with which it had overlapping jurisdiction would be required to enter into a memorandum of understanding that established reasonable communication and coordination efforts between them.
A school district's public safety or police officers would be required to meet the minimum standards of the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards Act. Also, a school district's public safety or police department would be required to submit monthly uniform crime reports concerning crimes committed within the department's jurisdiction, in the same manner as reports are submitted under the uniform crime reporting Act.
Proposed MCL 380.1240 Legislative Analyst: Claire Layman
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government.
There could be an indeterminate cost to the two eligible school districts (Detroit and Grand Rapids) associated with the administrative costs of creating and operating the public safety advisory committee. The newly created public safety or police department also could incur some minimal costs associated with the submission of the required monthly crime reports.
Fiscal Analyst: Joe CarrascoAnalysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb5121/0304