Georgia House of Representatives - 1995/1996 Sessions

HB 101 - Housing authority police; provisions

Page Numbers - 1/ 2

Code Sections - 8-3-36

1. Davis  48th


House Comm: SPCA       /                Senate Comm:            /                                   
House Vote: Yeas       Nays             Senate Vote: Yeas     Nays                                  
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               House          Action         Senate                                                 
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              1/9/95   Read 1st Time                                                                
              1/10/95  Read 2nd Time                                                                
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Rules Suspended to Introduce                                                                        
                                                                                                    
Code Sections amended: 8-3-36                                                                       


HB 101                                            LC 19 2227






                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                               AN ACT


  1- 1  To amend Part 2 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 8 of the
  1- 2  Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the powers
  1- 3  of housing authorities generally, so as to authorize certain
  1- 4  housing authorities to employ security personnel, to be
  1- 5  known as housing authority police; to provide for the powers
  1- 6  and immunity of such police; to require that housing
  1- 7  authority police be certified by the Georgia Peace Officer
  1- 8  Standards and Training Council; to provide that housing
  1- 9  authority police shall have the power to make arrests; to
  1-10  authorize certain housing authorities to contract with local
  1-11  governing bodies for police services of local law
  1-12  enforcement agencies; to provide for related matters; to
  1-13  repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

  1-14       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

                         SECTION 1.

  1-15  Part 2 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 8 of the Official
  1-16  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the powers of housing
  1-17  authorities generally, is amended by adding at the end
  1-18  thereof a new Code section, to be designated Code Section
  1-19  8-3-36, to read as follows:

  1-20    "8-3-36. (Index)

  1-21    (a) Any housing authority which operates and manages
  1-22    housing projects which have a combined population of
  1-23    10,000 or more residents shall be authorized to employ
  1-24    security personnel, to be known as housing authority
  1-25    police within the boundaries of such housing projects, who
  1-26    shall have the same rights, duties, powers, and immunity
  1-27    privileges as other peace officers in this state,
  1-28    including the power to enforce the laws of this state; to
  1-29    preserve the public order; to protect life and property;
  1-30    to prevent, detect, or investigate any crime; or any
  1-31    combination of such powers.

  1-32    (b) As a condition precedent to the exercise of law
  1-33    enforcement powers and the entitlement to immunity


                                 -1- (Index)

                                                  LC 19 2227

  2- 1    pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section, a housing
  2- 2    authority police officer must be certified by the Georgia
  2- 3    Peace Officer Standards and Training Council as having met
  2- 4    the qualifications and having completed the basic training
  2- 5    requirements for a peace officer under Chapter 8 of Title
  2- 6    35.  All costs incurred in such certification and training
  2- 7    shall be paid by the housing authority employing the
  2- 8    police officer.

  2- 9    (c) Within the parameters of property operated and managed
  2-10    by a housing authority, a police officer employed by such
  2-11    housing authority who is certified in accordance with
  2-12    subsection (b) of this Code section and when authorized by
  2-13    the board of the housing authority shall have the same law
  2-14    enforcement powers, including the power of arrest and
  2-15    rights to immunity, as a law enforcement officer of the
  2-16    local government with police jurisdiction over such
  2-17    housing authority property.

  2-18    (d) Any housing authority authorized by subsection (a) of
  2-19    this Code section to employ security personnel shall
  2-20    contract with the local governing authority which has
  2-21    police jurisdiction over such housing authority property
  2-22    for special police services to be provided by the local
  2-23    law enforcement agency within the boundaries of property
  2-24    operated and managed by such housing authority."

                         SECTION 2.

  2-25  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
  2-26  repealed.



















                                 -2- (Index)