Minnesota Session Laws - 2002, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 267-S.F.No. 3109 
                  An act relating to public safety; permitting municipal 
                  police departments to utilize black patrol vehicles; 
                  striking references to constables in the law 
                  addressing the color of police vehicles; amending 
                  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.98, subdivisions 
                  1, 1a, 1b, 3. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.98, 
        subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [COLORS AND MARKINGS.] (a) Except as 
        provided in subdivisions 2 and 2a, all motor vehicles which are 
        primarily used in the enforcement of highway traffic rules by 
        the state patrol or for general uniform patrol assignment by any 
        municipal police department or other law enforcement agency, 
        except conservation officers, shall have uniform colors and 
        markings as provided herein in this subdivision.  Motor vehicles 
        of: 
           (1) municipal police departments, including the University 
        of Minnesota police department and park police units, and 
        constables shall be predominantly blue, brown, green, black, or 
        white; 
           (2) the state patrol shall be predominantly maroon; and 
           (3) the county sheriffs' office shall be predominantly 
        brown or white.  
           (b) The identity of the governmental unit operating the 
        vehicle shall be displayed on both front door panels and on the 
        rear of the vehicle.  The identity may be in the form of a 
        shield or emblem, or may be the word "police," "sheriff," or the 
        words "state patrol" or "conservation officer," as appropriate, 
        with letters not less than 2-1/2 inches high, one-inch wide and 
        of a three-eighths inch brush stroke.  The identity shall be of 
        a color contrasting with the background color so that the motor 
        vehicle is easily identifiable as belonging to a specific type 
        of law enforcement agency.  Each vehicle shall be marked with 
        its own identifying number on the rear of the vehicle.  The 
        number shall be printed in the same size and color required 
        pursuant to this subdivision for identifying words which may be 
        displayed on the vehicle.  
           [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective August 1, 2002. 
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.98, 
        subdivision 1a, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 1a.  [VEHICLE STOP AUTHORITY.] Only a person who is 
        licensed as a peace officer, constable, or part-time peace 
        officer under sections 626.84 to section 626.863 may use a motor 
        vehicle governed by subdivision 1 to stop a vehicle as defined 
        in section 169.01, subdivision 2.  In addition, a hazardous 
        materials specialist employed by the department of 
        transportation may, in the course of responding to an emergency, 
        use a motor vehicle governed by subdivision 1 to stop a vehicle 
        as defined in section 169.01, subdivision 2. 
           [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective August 1, 2002. 
           Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.98, 
        subdivision 1b, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 1b.  [OPERATION OF MARKED VEHICLE.] Except as 
        otherwise permitted under sections 221.221 and 299D.06, a motor 
        vehicle governed by subdivision 1 may only be operated by a 
        person licensed as a peace officer, constable, or part-time 
        peace officer under sections 626.84 to section 626.863.  This 
        prohibition does not apply to the following: 
           (1) a marked vehicle that is operated for maintenance 
        purposes only; 
           (2) a marked vehicle that is operated during a skills 
        course approved by the peace officers standards and training 
        board; 
           (3) a marked vehicle that is operated to transport 
        prisoners or equipment; or 
           (4) a marked vehicle that is operated by a reserve officer 
        providing supplementary assistance at the direction of the chief 
        law enforcement officer or the officer's designee, when a 
        licensed peace officer as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 
        1, paragraph (c), who is employed by that political subdivision, 
        is on duty within the political subdivision. 
           [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective August 1, 2002. 
           Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.98, 
        subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 3.  [SECURITY GUARD VEHICLE.] (a) All motor vehicles 
        which are used by security guards in the course of their 
        employment may have any color other than those specified in 
        subdivision 1 for law enforcement vehicles.  The identity of the 
        security service shall be displayed on the motor vehicle as 
        required for law enforcement vehicles.  
           (b) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause 
        (1), a security guard may continue to use a motor vehicle that 
        is predominantly black in the course of the guard's employment 
        if the vehicle was being used in this manner before August 1, 
        2002. 
           [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective August 1, 2002. 
           Presented to the governor March 22, 2002 
           Signed by the governor March 25, 2002, 2:18 p.m.