Current through the 2024 Budget Session
Section 7-2-106 - Extraterritorial authority of peace officers; requests for assignment of peace officers; liability; compensation(a) Subject to the limitations in subsection (e) of this section, a peace officer, while outside of his jurisdiction, shall have the same authority that applies to him within his jurisdiction to the same degree and extent only when any one (1) of the following conditions exists: (i) The peace officer is responding to a request for law enforcement assistance made by a law enforcement agency of another jurisdiction or a specific request to assist another peace officer acting within the scope of his official duties in another jurisdiction;(ii) The peace officer possesses reasonable cause to believe that a crime is occurring involving an immediate threat of serious bodily injury or death to any person; or(iii) The peace officer is in fresh pursuit of a person whom the officer has probable cause to believe has committed within the officer's jurisdiction a violation of a municipal ordinance or state statute, including traffic infractions, or for whom an arrest warrant is outstanding for any criminal or traffic offense.(b) Subject to the limitations in subsection (e) of this section, the governing body of any municipality that does not have a police department, the chief of police of any municipality or his designee, or the sheriff of any county or his designee, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the governing body of any municipality or county, may request the chief of police of any other municipality, or his designee, or the sheriff of any other county, or his designee, to assign certified peace officers under their respective command to perform law enforcement duties within the jurisdiction of the requesting chief of police or sheriff. Peace officers, while so assigned and performing duties, are subject to the direction and control of the requesting chief or sheriff and shall have full peace officer authority within the requesting agency's jurisdiction during the assignment. The assignments under this subsection shall be restricted to the terms of a written memorandum of understanding entered into in advance by each participating sheriff, chief of police or appropriate supervisor of another agency employing peace officers and by the governing bodies of their respective counties or municipalities. The memorandum of understanding shall, at minimum, specify:(i) The length of term of the assignment, not to exceed one (1) month beyond the current term of office of any participating sheriff or chief of police;(ii) The certified peace officers covered by the assignment;(iii) A general description of the geographical boundaries of territory covered by the assignment;(iv) The responsibilities of each participating county, municipality and law enforcement agency for costs and expenses related to the assignments, including the cost of all wages, salaries, benefits and damage to equipment belonging to an officer or his employer while acting under the provisions of this subsection.(c) A peace officer acting pursuant to subsection (a), (b) or (f) of this section outside his own jurisdiction, or a peace officer when providing law enforcement assistance on the Wind River Indian Reservation pursuant to a memorandum of understanding entered in advance and approved by the attorney general, between the department of the interior, Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs or the tribes and the state, county, city or town providing the assistance, shall be deemed to be acting within the scope of his duties for purposes of the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act and the state self-insurance program, W.S. 1-41-101 through 1-41-111, or the local government self insurance program, W.S. 1-42-201 through 1-42-206. The memorandum of understanding shall contain a provision for immunity from suit in tribal court for activities occurring pursuant to any law enforcement assistance provided under this subsection. Any suit relating to those activities shall be brought only under the terms of the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act in the state district court having jurisdiction, or in the federal district court for the district of Wyoming, if appropriate. All privileges and immunities from liability, and all pension, disability, worker's compensation and other benefits which normally apply to peace officers while they perform their duties in their own jurisdiction shall also apply to them when acting as provided in subsection (a), (b) or (f) of this section and shall apply to peace officers when providing law enforcement assistance on the Wind River Indian Reservation pursuant to this subsection. For purposes of W.S. 27-14-104 and subsection (a), (b) or (f) of this section, the requesting and assigning law enforcement agencies shall be a joint employer as defined under W.S. 27-14-102(a)(xix) and the designated peace officer shall be a joint employee as defined under W.S. 27-14-102(a)(xxi).(d) The cost of salary and benefits accruing to a peace officer acting pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be borne by the individual peace officer's own employing agency. The cost of any damage to equipment belonging to the officer or his employer occurring while acting pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be borne by the requesting law enforcement agency.(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a peace officer:(i) As defined in W.S. 7-2-101(a)(iv)(F), (H) or (J) to act pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section; or(ii) As defined in W.S. 7-2-101(a)(iv)(E) or (G) to act pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) or (iii) or subsection (b) of this section; or(iii) As defined in W.S. 7-2-101(a)(iv)(E), (F) or (J) to act pursuant to subsection (f) of this section.(f) Subject to the limitations in paragraph (e)(iii) of this section, the department of state parks and cultural resources may request any other agency or governing body employing peace officers to assign peace officers qualified pursuant to W.S. 9-1-701 through 9-1-707 under their respective command to perform law enforcement duties within the jurisdiction of the department of state parks and cultural resources. Peace officers, while so assigned and performing duties, are subject to the direction and control of the department of state parks and cultural resources and shall have full peace officer authority within the department's jurisdiction during the assignment. The assignments under this subsection shall be restricted to the terms of a written memorandum of understanding entered into in advance by the department and each participating agency employing peace officers. The memorandum of understanding shall, at minimum, specify: (i) The length of term of the assignment;(ii) The peace officers covered by the assignment;(iii) A general description of the geographical boundaries of territory covered by the assignment;(iv) The responsibilities of the department and each participating law enforcement agency for costs and expenses related to the assignments, including the cost of all wages, salaries, benefits and damage to equipment belonging to an officer or his employer while acting under the provisions of this subsection.Amended by Laws 2013 , ch. 46, § 1, eff. 7/1/2013.Amended by Laws 2011 , ch. 160, § 1, eff. 3/3/2011.