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Commissioning Police, Campus Safety, and Security Officers : 5.01.07.00

Policy/Guideline Area

Personnel Policies

Applicable Divisions

TCATs, Community Colleges, System Office

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set forth the following general provisions to cover the circumstances and processes for the employment of law enforcement and security personnel by institutions governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, as well as to a law enforcement agency for the TBR System Office.  For purposes of this policy, references to “presidents” and “institution” also refer to the “Chancellor” and “TBR System Office,” as applicable. 

Definitions

As used in this policy the following terms shall mean:

  • Campus police officer - means a person commissioned by an employing institution and rendered an oath to provide police services, enforce law, exercise arrest authority, and carry firearms; and thus is subject to the provisions of the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission.
  • Public safety officer - means a person who, in addition to being a commissioned, campus police officer under the provisions of Paragraph I.A., performs other significant duties such as a certified firefighter, a medical first responder, and/or other tasks associated with homeland security, based on the needs of a particular institution.
  • Campus security officer - means a person employed by an institution to provide non-police, security-related services and as such is not commissioned to exercise arrest authority nor carry firearms without additional provision of law, nor is subject to the provisions of the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission.
  • Law enforcement agency - means an institution employing one (1) or more campus police officers and/or public safety officers.

Policy/Guideline

  1. Employment and Commissioning of Campus Law Enforcement Personnel (Campus Police Officers and Public Safety Officers)
    1. The presidents of TBR institutions are authorized to employ and commission campus police officers and public safety officers who shall have all the police powers necessary to enforce all state laws as well as rules and regulations of the Board of Regents and the employing institution.
      1. Campus police officers and public safety officers being so commissioned may exercise their authority on all property or facilities owned, leased or operated by the Board or the employing institution, as prescribed by Tennessee law, including any public roads or rights of way which are contiguous to or within the perimeter of the facilities or property of a particular institution.
    2. All campus police officers and public safety officers employed under this policy shall meet the minimum certification requirements set by the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (T.C.A. § 38-8-101 et seq.).
      1. The Chancellor is authorized to establish other minimum qualifications that are not in conflict with those established by the Commission or by Tennessee law.
      2. It shall be the duty of each president to ensure that the commissioned officers meet the necessary standards.
  2. Employment of Campus Security Personnel (Campus Security Officers)
    1. The presidents of TBR institutions are authorized to employ campus security officers who shall provide non-police, security-related services and as such are not commissioned to exercise arrest authority nor carry firearms.
    2. Campus security officers shall not be subject to the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.
    3. Campus security officers may execute their security related duties on all property or facilities owned, leased or operated by the Board or the employing institution.
  3. Mutual Assistance Agreements - Authority of Campus Law Enforcement Personnel
    1. The campus police officers and public safety officers employed by the law enforcement agency of one Tennessee Board of Regents institution may exercise their authority on property or facilities owned, leased, or operated by another Tennessee Board of Regents institution only in accordance with Tennessee Board of Regents policies where there is an agreement between the presidents or directors of the institutions involved.
    2. A law enforcement agency may enter into written mutual assistance agreements with other law enforcement agencies, including a county sheriff's department, municipal police department, judicial district drug task force, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation or Tennessee Highway Patrol, as are necessary to preserve and protect the property, students and employees of the institution employing the officers and to otherwise perform their duties.
      1. Such agreements may provide for the exchange of law enforcement officers when required for a particular purpose or for mutual assistance to effectuate arrests, execute search warrants and perform other law enforcement functions when the law enforcement agency finds it necessary to act outside of their statutory jurisdiction.
      2. Notwithstanding any mutual assistance agreement or an absence thereof, a campus law enforcement agency must comply with any state or federal law providing that a particular law enforcement agency must lead the investigation of specified criminal acts. 

Sources

Authority

T.C.A. §§ 49-8-203; 38-8-101 et seq.

History

TBR Meeting, June 26, 1987; December 3, 2004; June 17, 2022.