[Brian823]

HOUSE, No. 1332


By Ms. Atkins of Concord, petition of Cory Atkins and David Paul Linsky for legislation to extend the jurisdiction of police officers of cities and towns to bordering communities. Public Safety.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
______________________


In the Year Two Thousand and Three.
______________________


AN ACT RELATIVE TO POLICE JURISDICTIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Chapter 41 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 98G, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, the following section:—
Section 98H: A police officer of a city or town who is empowered to make arrests within a city or town may, while on official duty in a city or town that borders their own jurisdiction, take any legal action or exercise any lawful act to enforce the General Laws of the Commonwealth.

 

[PBC FL Cop]

Can County Police be far behind !!!

 

[mpd61]

Can County Police be far behind !!!

Ya know I've been waiting to spring this, but there used to be a provision for "County Police" under CH. 41 They could be appointed by the county commissioners and given a badge to patrol and arrest "unruly" persons in or about buildings used to conduct county business.

It was rescinded within the last ten years, and I don't think there ever were any sworn or appointed anyhow.

Anybody remember this one? :?:

 

[Otto]

I believe it is M.G.L. Ch. 147 Sec. 8. I don't think it has been repealed.

 

[Otto]

CHAPTER 147. STATE AND OTHER POLICE, AND CERTAIN POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Chapter 147: Section 8 County police; appointment; badge; powers

Section 8. County commissioners may appoint as police officers persons who are in the employment of the county, who shall, when on duty, wear in plain sight a metallic badge inscribed with the words ""County Police'' and the name of the county for which they are appointed. Such officers may preserve order in any court house or in any room or building used for county business and upon the adjoining premises. They may, without a warrant, arrest idle or disorderly persons who by their presence or conduct obstruct or annoy persons using county buildings or premises, or who violate section ninety-seven of chapter two hundred and sixty-six, and may take persons so arrested to the nearest police station or other place of lawful detention.

 

[mpd61]

Thanks Otto!

I am certain that most of CH. 147 was repealed in like 91' Only Sect 10G or something referring to parking enforcement remains.

That's why when many agencies post Campus P.O. jobs and say
"must be able to be appointed as a special police officer under MGL CH.147" they are quite

WRONG!!!!!!
:shock:

 

[Otto]

MPD61, you may be right. But I just got it off the General Court's site.

 

[mpd61]

It's probably a moot point anyway since there are few if any county commissioners left!
:lol:

 

[dcs2244]

County Police

I seem to recall some uniformed people "swanning around" Cambridge DC wearing patches "county police"...this was back in the early/mid eighties...Judge Nixon was on the bench...I remember it because I asked other PO's about it, as I was under the impression that counties were a chimerical political entity in MA.

 

[Guest]

98h has been repealed as well.

 

[HousingCop]

I met a guy last weekend at the gun show in Marlborough who was selling a badge "Lieutenant Middlesex County Police" for $40. I asked him what this rare bird was and he explained that he was the former Chief from there and showed me his badge & ID in a wallet. He said the County Commissioners appointed them & they just did courthouse duties.

He said they were disbanded in 1993 when the state put forth certain court reforms. He seemed genuine enough and I did remember seeing them when I had a couple cases there back in the early 90's. They were dressed differently than the court officers and Middlesex County deputy's too so it made them stand out a bit.