SB 478

PRESENT LAW – POLICE OFFICERS Present law provides that an eligible local unit of government that requires all police officers to complete an in-service training course each calendar year of at least 40 hours at a school certified or recognized by the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission ("co m mission"") is entitled to receive a pay supplement of $800 for any one officer in any one year, from the commission, to be paid to each officer, in addition to the officer's regular salary. Police officers are generally eligible for the pay supplement upo n successful completion of 40 hours of the in-service training. Present law provides that commission funds made available to local units for the purposes described above must be received, held, and expended in accordance with all of the following, as well as rules issued by the commission:  Funds provided must be used only as a cash salary supplement to police officers  Each police officer is entitled to receive the state supplement that the officer's qualifications brought to the local unit  Funds provided must not be used to supplant existing salaries or as substitutes for normal salary increases periodically due to police officers  The cash salary supplement is considered as a bonus for the successful completion of training and must not be considered as salary for subsequent years' determination of supplement or retirement purposes  No funds must be expended unless such funds are specifically appropriated for the purposes set forth in law PRESENT LAW - SHERIFFS Present law provides that all sheriffs must c omplete annual in-service training and receive cash salary supplements as provided by the commission for police officers. The commission must apply the terms and conditions of the law to any sheriff, with certain exceptions. THIS BILL – CAMPUS POLICE OFF ICERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS This bill adds to the present law by providing that campus police officers and public safety officers successfully completing the annual in-service training must receive cash salary supplements in the same manner and unde r the same conditions as set forth in the present law for police officers, except that the commission must make the funds for salary supplements available to the appropriate institutions, schools, or boards for payment to campus police officers and public safety officers. Such officers who served, or serve, on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during a period of armed conflict prescribed by presidential proclamation or federal law must receive the cash salary supplement, if the service p revented, or prevents, the campus police officer or public safety officer from attending the in-service training program."