Bill Text: MS HB1210 | 2011 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Highway Patrol; revise qualifications for the Chief of Patrol.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-04-26 - Approved by Governor [HB1210 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-HB1210-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representative Stringer
House Bill 1210
(As Sent to Governor)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-3-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE CHIEF OF THE MISSISSIPPI HIGHWAY SAFETY PATROL; TO AMEND SECTION 45-3-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 45-3-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-3-9. (1) The Chief of Patrol, directors, inspectors, assistant inspectors, patrol officers and investigators of the department shall be selected after an examination as to physical and mental fitness, knowledge of traffic laws, rules and regulations of this state, the laws of the state pertaining to arrest, and the rules and regulations of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and Public Service Commission, such examination to be prescribed by the commissioner. The director and/or Chief of Patrol shall be an active, sworn officer of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol with a minimum of fifteen (15) years' experience with the highway patrol and shall not be retired from the highway patrol. The qualifications for the director and/or Chief of Patrol in the preceding sentence shall take effect and be in force from and after December 31, 2011. At the time of appointment they shall be citizens of the United States and the State of Mississippi, of good moral character, and shall be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age and shall have:
(a) A bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year educational institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale; or
(b) Sixty (60) hours and/or an associate degree from an accredited educational institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale and one (1) year of continued satisfactory work experience in the field of law enforcement; or
(c) Four (4) years minimum active military duty providing a DD214 * * *; or
(d) Six (6) years or more as a member of the National Guard; or
(e) A high school diploma or GED, minimum standard certification from an accredited law enforcement academy and a minimum of one (1) year of law enforcement field experience.
(2) Sworn agents of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics who are employed as enforcement troopers shall retain all compensatory, personal and sick leave accrued under Sections 25-3-92, 25-3-93 and 25-3-95.
SECTION 2. Section 45-3-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-3-5. The commissioner is * * * empowered and authorized to appoint an Assistant Commissioner of Public Safety to be known as the Chief of Patrol, who shall have the same qualifications as the commissioner and the additional qualifications prescribed in Section 45-3-9, and shall have charge of the Division of Operations of the patrol. The annual salary of the Chief of Patrol shall be fixed by the Legislature, payable monthly. He shall execute a bond in the penal sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) with a surety company authorized to do business in this state, the bond to be conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties. The bond shall be subject to the approval of the commissioner.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
