00                             SENATE BILL NO. 7                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to employment of constables as peace officers in the unorganized                                       
02 borough."                                                                                                               
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  AS 18.65 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                 
05            Sec. 18.65.015.  Commissioner of public safety may appoint constables.                                     
06       The commissioner of public safety may appoint constables to serve as peace officers                               
07       in an unorganized borough.  Each constable appointed shall be an employee of the                                  
08       Department of Public Safety, shall be charged with the enforcement of all criminal                                
09       laws of the state, and has the powers of a peace officer of the state, including those                            
10       granted by statute or traditionally exercised by peace officers, except that the                                  
11       commissioner shall limit the offenses that constables may investigate without the                                 
12       assistance of members of the state troopers.  The commissioner shall provide                                      
13       constables with standard uniforms, vehicles, supplies, and equipment necessary to                                 
14       carry out the functions of constables as peace officers of the state.  To the extent                              

01       permitted by law, the commissioner may give preference to the appointment as a                                    
02       constable for an area of the state to residents of that area.  Constables appointed for an                        
03       area do not have the right to transfer to another area of the state unless the                                    
04       commissioner determines that the transfer serves the best interests of the state.                                 
05       Involuntary permanent transfers of constables from an area to another area of the state                           
06       are disfavored and should only be made when the commissioner finds that the best                                  
07       interests of the state will be served by the transfer.                                                            
08    * Sec. 2.  AS 18.65.290(6) is amended to read:                                                                     
09                 (6)  "police officer" means                                                                             
10                      (A)  a full-time employee of the state or a municipal police                                       
11            department with the authority to arrest and issue citations; detain a person                                 
12            taken into custody until that person can be arraigned before a judge or                                      
13            magistrate; conduct investigations of violations of and enforce criminal laws,                               
14            regulations, and traffic laws; search with or without a warrant persons,                                     
15            dwellings, and other forms of property for evidence of a crime; and take other                               
16            action consistent with exercise of these enumerated powers when necessary to                                 
17            maintain the public peace;                                                                                   
18                      (B)  an officer or employee of the Department of Transportation                                    
19            and Public Facilities who is stationed at an international airport and has been                              
20            designated to have the general police powers authorized under                                                
21            AS 02.15.230(a);                                                                                             
22                      (C)  a University of Alaska public safety officer with general                                     
23            police powers authorized under AS 14.40.043;                                                                 
24                      (D)  a constable appointed by the commissioner of public                                       
25            safety under AS 18.65.015;