2007 Minnesota Statutes

145.853 DUTY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
    Subdivision 1. Diligent effort required. A law enforcement officer shall make a diligent
effort to determine whether any disabled person found is a person having epilepsy or a diabetic, or
suffers from some other type of illness that would cause the condition. Whenever feasible, this
effort shall be made before the person is charged with a crime or taken to a place of detention.
    Subd. 2. Search. In seeking to determine whether a disabled person suffers from an illness,
a law enforcement officer shall make a reasonable search for an identifying device and an
identification card of the type described in section 145.852, subdivision 2, and examine them for
emergency information. The law enforcement officer may not search for an identifying device or
an identification card in a manner or to an extent that would appear to a reasonable person in the
circumstances to cause an unreasonable risk of worsening the disabled person's condition. The
law enforcement officer may not remove an identifying device or an identification card from the
possession of a disabled person unless the removal is necessary for law enforcement purposes or
to protect the safety of the disabled person.
    Subd. 3. Duty; absence of device. A law enforcement officer who finds a disabled person
without an identifying device or identification card is not relieved of the duty to that person to
make a diligent effort to ascertain the existence of any illness causing the disabled condition.
    Subd. 4. Actions. A cause of action against a law enforcement officer does not arise from
the officer's making a reasonable search of the disabled person to locate an identifying device
or identification card, even though the person is not wearing an identifying device or carrying
an identification card.
    Subd. 5. Notification; medical care. A law enforcement officer who determines or has
reason to believe that a disabled person is suffering from an illness causing the person's condition
shall promptly notify the person's physician, if practicable. If the officer is unable to ascertain the
physician's identity or to communicate with the physician, the officer shall make a reasonable
effort to cause the disabled person to be transported immediately to a medical practitioner or to
a facility where medical treatment is available. If the officer believes it unduly dangerous to
move the disabled person, the officer shall make a reasonable effort to obtain the assistance
of a medical practitioner.
History: 1973 c 428 s 3; 1983 c 10 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1988 c 689 art 2 s 44