626.84 Definitions and scope.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. For purposes of sections 626.84 to 626.863, the following terms have the meanings given them:
(a) "Board" means the board of peace officer standards and training.
(b) "Director" means the executive director of the board.
(c) "Peace officer" means an employee or an elected or appointed official of a political subdivision or law enforcement agency who is licensed by the board, charged with the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the general criminal laws of the state and who has the full power of arrest, and shall also include the Minnesota state patrol, agents of the division of alcohol and gambling enforcement, state conservation officers, and metropolitan transit police officers.
(d) "Constable" has the meaning assigned to it in section 367.40.
(e) "Deputy constable" has the meaning assigned to it in section 367.40.
(f) "Part-time peace officer" means an individual licensed by the board whose services are utilized by law enforcement agencies no more than an average of 20 hours per week, not including time spent on call when no call to active duty is received, calculated on an annual basis, who has either full powers of arrest or authorization to carry a firearm while on active duty. The term shall apply even though the individual receives no compensation for time spent on active duty, and shall apply irrespective of the title conferred upon the individual by any law enforcement agency. The limitation on the average number of hours in which the services of a part-time peace officer may be utilized shall not apply to a part-time peace officer who has formally notified the board pursuant to rules adopted by the board of the part-time peace officer's intention to pursue the specialized training for part-time peace officers who desire to become peace officers pursuant to sections 626.843, subdivision 1, clause (g), and 626.845, subdivision 1, clause (g).
(g) "Reserve officer" means an individual whose services are utilized by a law enforcement agency to provide supplementary assistance at special events, traffic or crowd control, and administrative or clerical assistance. A reserve officer's duties do not include enforcement of the general criminal laws of the state, and the officer does not have full powers of arrest or authorization to carry a firearm on duty.
(h) "Law enforcement agency" means a unit of state or local government that is authorized by law to grant full powers of arrest and to charge a person with the duties of preventing and detecting crime and enforcing the general criminal laws of the state.
(i) "Professional peace officer education" means a post-secondary degree program, or a nondegree program for persons who already have a college degree, that is offered by a college or university in Minnesota, designed for persons seeking licensure as a peace officer, and approved by the board.
Subd. 2. Scope. Notwithstanding sections 12.03, subdivision 4, 12.25, or any other law to the contrary, no individual employed or acting as an agent of any political subdivision shall be authorized to carry a firearm when on duty unless the individual has been licensed under sections 626.84 to 626.863. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring licensure of a security guard as that term is defined in section 626.88, subdivision 1, clause (c).
HIST: 1977 c 433 s 1; 1978 c 681 s 8; 1979 c 282 s 1; 1980 c 578 s 2; 1981 c 37 s 2; 1981 c 310 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 334 s 4; 1989 c 334 art 6 s 13; 1991 c 356 art 6 s 1; 1997 c 129 art 2 s 15; 1997 c 149 s 4
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes