39-14-143 - Unauthorized solicitation for police, judicial or safety association.
39-14-143. Unauthorized solicitation for police, judicial or safety association.
(a) It is an offense for a person to solicit or accept a fee, consideration, donation, or to offer for sale or sell advertising as a representative, or under the guise of representing, a police, judicial or safety association, partnership or corporation unless the person is employed by or is a member of an organization composed of persons elected, employed or appointed pursuant to law, to engage in police, judicial or safety work or activities, except that the commissioner of safety may authorize in writing any person to engage in such activities until the authority is revoked in writing by the commissioner.
(b) Police, as used in this section, includes any person duly elected, appointed, or employed as provided by law to engage in law enforcement work.
(c) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) This section does not apply to any police, judicial or safety association directed or regulated by any agency, department or branch of state government. Neither does this section apply to associations composed of duly constituted law enforcement or judicial officers.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) to the contrary, any person, persons, corporation or corporations violating the provisions of this section, which violation is accomplished through the use of some form of communication across the boundaries of the state of Tennessee, commits a Class E felony, whether such communication is:
(1) By mail;
(2) By the use of any electronic device, including, but not limited to, the use of a telephone or telegraph; or
(3) By any other means.
[Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1.]