S*0362(Rat #0101, Act #0062 of 1995)  General Bill, By Cork, Elliott, Lander and 
Washington

Similar(H 3403)
 A Bill to amend Chapter 5 of Title 24, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 by adding Article 3, so as to create a reserve detention officer program, and
 to designate Sections 24-5-10 through 24-5-170 as Article 1, Chapter 5 of
 Title 24, entitled "General Provisions".-amended title

   01/17/95  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-9
   01/17/95  Senate Referred to Committee on Corrections and Penology SJ-9
   03/14/95  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Corrections and Penology SJ-134
   03/15/95  Senate Amended SJ-26
   03/15/95  Senate Read second time SJ-26
   03/22/95  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-10
   03/23/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-8
   03/23/95  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-8
   05/18/95  House  Committee report: Favorable Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-38
   05/24/95  House  Objection by Rep. Cooper HJ-25
   05/24/95  House  Read second time HJ-25
   05/25/95  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-7
   06/06/95         Ratified R 101
   06/13/95         Became law without Governor's signature
   06/13/95         Effective date 06/13/95
   08/10/95         Copies available
   08/10/95         Act No. 62

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 5 OF TITLE 24, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 3 SO AS TO CREATE A RESERVE DETENTION OFFICER PROGRAM AND TO DESIGNATE SECTIONS 24-5-10 THROUGH 24-5-170 AS ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 5 OF TITLE 24, ENTITLED "GENERAL PROVISIONS".

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Reserve Detention Officer Program

SECTION 1. Chapter 5, Title 24 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 3

Section 24-5-300. For the purposes of this article:

(1) `Reserve detention officer' means a person assigned part-time jailer or detention officer duties without being regularly assigned to full-time jailer or detention officer duties and who serves in that capacity without compensation.

(2) `Director' means the detention director, jail administrator, or other manager employed for the operation of a county, municipal, or multi-jurisdictional local detention facility.

(3) `Responsible authority' means the sheriff, county administrator, mayor, city manager, or other appropriate official who has legal responsibility for the management of a local detention facility within a particular jurisdiction.

Section 24-5-310. The director, in his discretion, may appoint the number of reserve detention officers approved by the responsible authority, but not exceeding the number of regular full-time jailers or detention officers funded and employed at the facility, if participation in the reserve detention officer program has been approved by the governing body having jurisdiction over the detention facility. The number of full-time jailers or detention officers must not be decreased because of the institution or expansion of a reserve force. Each period of time a reserve serves must be determined and specified by the director in writing. The powers and duties of a reserve are subject to the provisions of this article and must be prescribed by the director and approved by the responsible authority.

A reserve is subject to removal by the director at any time. A criminal history inquiry and other appropriate background inquiry must be conducted on an applicant before his selection as a reserve.

Before assuming his duties, a reserve must:

(1) take the oath of office required by law;

(2) be bonded in an amount determined by the governing body of the county, municipality, or other political entity and which must be not less than one thousand five hundred dollars; and

(3) successfully complete the course of training required by this article.

Section 24-5-320. No reserve shall assume a jailer or detention officer function until he has completed successfully a jail pre-service training program approved by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Article 9, Chapter 6 of Title 23, and passed a comprehensive test prepared by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and administered by the director of the local detention facility. Within one year of appointment, a reserve must successfully complete a jail operations training program promulgated by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Article 9, Chapter 6 of Title 23 in order to be eligible for continuation as a reserve. A reserve who serves more than one year must complete the same annual in-service training requirements as regular full-time jailers or detention officers. All training which is provided locally or regionally is subject to review by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Advisory Council and approval of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Section 24-5-330. Before final acceptance as a reserve, a candidate, at his own expense or through the offices of the doctor of his political entity, shall submit to the director a summary of the results of a current physical examination for the satisfaction of the director concerning physical competence and capability. Other minimum selection standards recognized by law as applicable to full-time jailers or detention officers also shall apply to reserves.

Section 24-5-340. Additional requirements beyond those set out in this article may be imposed by the local political entity through the responsible authority.

Upon request by the director and assurance by the director that minimum requirements have been met, identification cards registering a reserve's status may be issued by the Department of Public Safety.

Section 24-5-350. A reserve shall serve and function as a jailer or detention officer only on specific orders and directions of the director. To maintain status, a reserve shall perform a minimum logged service time of ten hours a month or thirty hours a quarter.

No reserve detention officer shall perform any jailer or detention officer duties except under the direct supervision of a full-time jailer or detention officer. A reserve shall not assume full-time duties of jailers or detention officers without complying with the requirements for full-time jailers and detention officers.

A department utilizing reserves shall have at least one full-time officer as a coordinator-supervisor who must be responsible directly to the director.

Section 24-5-360. A reserve who has been in active status for at least two years and desires to become a full-time jailer or detention officer, upon application of his director to the Department of Public Safety and upon completion of other existing requirements, may be accepted at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy for additional hours of training required by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Article 9, Chapter 6 of Title 23.

Section 24-5-370. A currently certified full-time jailer or detention officer who leaves his position under honorable conditions within twelve months, at the request of his director and with the concurrence of the Department of Public Safety, may be issued a registration card identifying him as a member of the reserve if the use of reserve detention officers has been approved by the responsible authority. The officer is not required to undergo the preliminary training for reserves but is required to have a current physical exam and to continue the same annual in-service training requirements as regular full-time jailers or detention officers.

Section 24-5-380. The uniforms and equipment issued by the political entity shall remain the property of the entity but, in the discretion of the director, may be entrusted to the care and control of the reserve. A reserve shall wear a uniform which will identify him as a jailer or detention officer. Handguns, if issued, must be of a caliber approved by the responsible authority.

Section 24-5-390. Workers' Compensation benefits may be provided for reserves by the governing body in the same manner benefits are provided for full-time jailers or detention officers.

For purposes of compensation or benefits arising from duty-related injury or death, reserves must be considered employees of the political entities for which they were appointed and must be included with regular duty jailers or detention officers in the assigned responsibility for prevention, suppression, and control of crime."

General provisions

SECTION 2. Sections 24-5-10 through 24-5-170 are designated as Article 1, entitled "General Provisions".

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/13/95.