Senate Bill 2608

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-54, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING REQUIRED OF THE CORRECTION OFFICERS OF THE CORRECTIONS INVESTIGATION DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 47-5-54, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-5-54. Employees assigned to the canine unit of the department may, upon request, assist law enforcement agencies by using specially trained dogs in any matter relating to the tracking, discovery or capture of any person in the enforcement of criminal statutes pertaining to the possession, sale or use of narcotics or other dangerous drugs, or in the pursuit of suspected felons and, while so doing, shall have the status of peace officers anywhere in the state and shall have the status of law enforcement officers and peace officers as contemplated by Sections 45-6-3, 97-3-7 and 97-3-19.

Employees of the department while performing their officially assigned duties relating to the custody, control, transportation, recapture or arrest of any offender within the jurisdiction of the department or any offender of any jail, penitentiary, public workhouse or overnight lockup of the state or any political subdivision thereof not within the jurisdiction of the department, shall have the status of peace officers anywhere in the state in any matter relating to the custody, control, transportation or recapture of such offender, and shall have the status of law enforcement officers and peace officers as contemplated by Sections 45-6-3, 97-3-7 and 97-3-19.

The commissioner may appoint investigators with the Corrections Investigation Division who have been certified by the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training and who shall be empowered to investigate and enforce all applicable regulations of the department, which are related to the functions and missions of the department, and all laws of the State of Mississippi and who shall be empowered to investigate and enforce all laws of the State of Mississippi in private correctional facilities and regional county correctional facilities. These employees shall have the status of law enforcement officers and peace officers as contemplated by Sections 45-6-3, 97-3-7 and 97-3-19.

These officers shall be under the supervision of the commissioner. These officers may perform any service of process required to be performed at any facility owned by the Department of Corrections, at any private correctional facility or at any regional county correctional facility.

The commissioner may promulgate rules regulating the speed of motor vehicles on roads within the grounds of any correctional facility and such restrictions may be enforced by employees of the department by citation or as otherwise prescribed by law.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.