178.862. Community college district police--oath, powers, qualifications.

Community college district police--oath, powers, qualifications.

178.862. 1. The trustees of any community college district of thisstate may appoint and employ as many college police officers as they may deemnecessary to protect persons, property, and to preserve peace and good orderonly in the public buildings, properties, grounds, and other facilities andlocations over which they have charge or control.

2. The college police officers, before they enter upon their duties,shall take and subscribe an oath of office before some officer authorized toadminister oaths, to faithfully and impartially discharge the duties thereof,which oath shall be filed in the office of the college district board oftrustees, and the secretary of the board shall give each college policeofficer so appointed and qualified a certificate of appointment, under theseal of the board of trustees, which certificate shall empower him with thesame authority to maintain order, preserve peace and make arrests as is nowheld by peace officers; the college police officer may in addition expel fromthe public buildings, campuses, and grounds, persons violating the rules andregulations that may be prescribed by the board of trustees or others underthe authority of the board. Such officer or employee of the community collegeas may be designated by the board of trustees shall have immediate charge,control and supervision of college police officers appointed by authority ofthis section. Such college police officers shall have satisfactorilycompleted before appointment, or within six months after appointment, atraining course for college police officers which shall consist of at leastthree hundred twenty hours as prescribed by the superintendent of the Missouristate highway patrol. The community college district shall reimburse all suchcollege police officers appointed by them who complete the training course forall reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in taking the training course,and shall reimburse the highway patrol for any expenses directly relating tothe prescribed or holding of a training course which are recommended by thepatrol.

3. Nothing herein shall be construed as denying the board of trusteesthe right to appoint guards or watchmen who shall not be given the authorityand powers hereby authorized.

(L. 1974 H.B. 917 § 1)