Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy

Miss. Code Ann. tit. 45, ch. 5
in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-1 Citation of chapter.

This chapter may be cited as “The Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy Law of 1964.”

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-3 Public policy declared.

It is hereby declared that the state public welfare demands and the state public policy requires proper and adequate preservation of the domestic tranquility by the presence of sufficiently trained law enforcement officers on local and state levels; that the means and measures herein authorized to insure the welfare of all the citizens of the state of Mississippi are as a matter of public policy for the purpose of insuring the domestic tranquility; and that the accomplishment of the things herein authorized will preserve the present and prospective safety, morals, pursuit of happiness and general welfare of citizens of the state of Mississippi.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-5 Establishment, supervision and purpose of law enforcement officers’ training academy; rules and regulations; director and other personnel.

The commissioner of public safety is hereby authorized and empowered to establish, maintain and supervise a “law enforcement officers’ training academy” for the purpose of providing training facilities for members of the department of public safety and such other law enforcement officers of the state, counties or municipalities as may schedule the use of the same with the commissioner. The commissioner shall promulgate such reasonable rules and regulations as are necessary; provided, however, that any such rules and regulations shall be published and kept on file in the office of the commissioner and in the administrative office of the academy. To carry out the provisions of this chapter and any such rules and regulations, the commissioner shall appoint a director who shall answer to the commissioner in the performance of his duties. The commissioner shall employ such other technical, professional and clerical assistance as may be required from time to time, and fix their duties and compensation. All employees and other personnel must be qualified by education and experience.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-7 Instructors and curriculum.

The commissioner may furnish suitable instructors in the subject matter fields to be taught by assigning members of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol or by calling upon other agencies, departments, institutions or private individuals to provide competent instructors in their respective fields. In the alternative, the requesting authority may specify in its request that only the facilities be made available, the instructors being furnished by the requesting authority. The curriculum of the academy shall be as prescribed by the commissioner; provided, however, that upon requesting the use of the academy the requesting authority may also request a particular course of instruction if the same be available.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-9 Sheriffs and mayors may appoint extra deputies and police; commissioner of public safety to judge qualifications of applicant; powers and duties of deputies; compensation and uniforms; bond.

The sheriff of each county, and the mayor of each municipality, is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint as many extra deputy sheriffs and as many extra deputy police officers, as the case may be, as he deems necessary for the purposes herein. Each applicant to the academy herein created shall be subject to approval by the Commissioner of Public Safety who shall be the sole judge of the qualifications of such applicant, and when deemed necessary for the purposes herein, the sheriff and mayor, as the case may be, shall have the power and authority to order said deputies to perform any of the duties required under this chapter, and all such deputies ordered to do so shall have the full power and authority so to do as is vested in other police or peace officers of this state. Such deputies shall be paid for services rendered such compensation and may be furnished such uniforms and equipment as may be agreed upon by the sheriff with approval of the board of supervisors, and by the mayor, with the approval of the governing authorities of such municipality, same to be paid from any available county funds, and/or any available municipal funds, as the case may be. Each such deputy shall give bond, with sufficient surety, to be payable, conditioned and approved as provided by law, in a penalty not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00). The premiums for such bonds shall be paid from any available county funds or any available municipal funds, as the case may be.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-11 Appropriations; tuition fees; payment of expenses of officers attending academy; grants and donations may be accepted.

The Legislature may appropriate funds to carry out the purposes of this chapter in whole or in part. The commissioner shall establish and charge reasonable tuition fees to be paid. Any municipality, county, district or other political subdivision or agency of the state is hereby authorized to pay the expenses, including tuition of any of its officers or officer-designees or officers-elect for attending the academy. All municipalities, counties, districts, other political subdivisions and agencies of the state shall comply with subsection (4) of Section 45-6-13 in the event that an officer leaves one governmental entity and becomes employed by another governmental entity within three (3) years. Grants and donations to the academy may be accepted from individuals, firms, corporations, foundations and other interested organizations and societies.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-13 Acceptance or rejection of applicants by director; appeals by rejected applicants.

The director, with the approval of the commissioner, shall have the power and authority to accept or reject any group or individual. If an individual or group is rejected by the director, he or they may by written request appeal to a reviewing board made up of the commissioner of public safety, who will be presiding officer; the attorney general of the state; and the secretary of state. This board will have final authority on rejection or approval of applicants who have appealed to the board.

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-15 Duties of State Building Commission; law enforcement officers’ training academy fund.

The State Building Commission is authorized and directed to provide suitable land, either state owned or purchased for the purpose of this chapter or received as a gift, and buildings to house the law enforcement training academy, and payment for the construction costs of such buildings shall be made from any money made available to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Any funds appropriated or granted from any source shall be put in a fund in the office of the treasurer to be designated as the “law enforcement officers’ training academy fund.”

Miss. Code Ann. § 45-5-17 Construction of chapter.

This chapter shall be construed as supplemental and in addition to the present laws governing the department of public safety; provided, however, whenever a conflict exists between this chapter and any of said present laws the provisions of this chapter will control.

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