HF 1401

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 04/06/2011 08:51am

A bill for an act
relating to traffic regulations; prohibiting saturation patrols and sting operations
to apprehend seat belt violators; requiring POST Board review of agency
compliance; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.985.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.985, is amended to read:

169.985 TRAFFIC CITATION QUOTA new text begin AND CERTAIN SATURATION
PATROLS AND STING OPERATIONS new text end PROHIBITED.

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Quotas prohibited. new text end

A law enforcement agency may not order,
mandate, require, or suggest to a peace officer a quota for the issuance of traffic citations,
including administrative citations authorized under section 169.999, on a daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Seat belt violation saturation patrols and sting operations prohibited.
new text end

new text begin Because seat belt violations do not constitute a hazard to the traveling public, a law
enforcement agency may not conduct a saturation patrol or a sting operation for the
purpose of detecting drivers operating motor vehicles in violation of section 169.686,
subdivision 1, paragraph (a). A saturation patrol is a law enforcement activity during
which enhanced levels of law enforcement are utilized in a concentrated geographic area
for the purpose of detecting a specific violation. A sting operation is a law enforcement
activity designed to utilize deception to detect a specific violation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin POST Board review. new text end

new text begin The Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training
shall include in the reports to the legislature required in section 626.843, subdivision 4,
information on law enforcement agencies' compliance with the prohibitions in this section.
new text end