Emergency Light/Siren Laws

[johnoconnor98]

Something a little ironic, though, is that traffic engineering has always used red lights (at least since the 1970s), and I've noticed that signal escorts now have red flashing lights. (I can remember when Central Parking escorted them in three-wheeled Cushmans, with blue lights.) j c

Traffic Engineering rates the red lights because they are the City's "certified highway construction and maintenance" vehicles. I think that's the wording in the State Law.

They have the big trucks which paint the lines/stripes on the roads. Many, TOO MANY of these painters have been killed in traffic accidents.

They also have Traffic Signal Engineering who actually maintain all the intersections for the entire county, Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Millington, Bartlett, and unincorporated Shelby county intersections. (and yes, they BILL for that)

 

[EMTJD]

If the security vehicle stays on private property then it may not violate any law. Here in Texas blue means nothing. You see dump trucks, utility trucks pickups with blue liights. Blue only means warning like yellow. Only red llights count.

Yes. As they say, "the laws in your state may vary".

 

[zachgallop]

In Knox County, there is some security officers that are Special Deputies/Bonded Officers that are allowed to run emergency lights and sirens. But only certain ones such as Knox County Schools Security Division (KCSD) which has blue/red lights with siren on their patrol units and UT Medical Security vehicles have red lights with siren. I do not know if other counties allow this or not for security officers that are bonded. This allows them to respond to situations that occur involving them or their properties. UTMC use to be a full time police force before the state quit running it. I believe UT Medical is only restricted to their property with that use but School Division can use it anywhere in the county along with responding through surrounding counties if the need arises. .But I am unsure of how the laws work on that. No other security agency uses blue or red lights in Knox County that I know of.

 

[Citywide173]

The key is in the way the law is worded. It is a motor vehicle law that applies to the roadways under the jurisdiction of the state. Private property does not count. If the light is not flashing while the vehicle is being operated on those public ways, it is not illegal. If it is flashing on the private property, the state does not have jurisdiction under motor vehicle law. Now, if the law stated " It is unlawful for anyone to install, maintain or exhibit blue lights capable of flashing" it would be a different story.

 

[surfacemount]

Wow.

That's a necropost!

At any rate, those posting in this should probably look at the latest revisions to Tennessee's light law that took effect in the last month or so.

Draconian doesn't even begin to address them; I have fought it for years as it got more and more restrictive. The governors office say it was complaint driven; I find it very hard to believe.

People who have deputations as a Special Officer / Special Deputy have police powers. The issue comes in when they are mixed with a security role. UT Med Center is an excellent example of that; they've gotten in trouble and lost lawsuits repeatedly, setting legal precedents others now have to follow.

As the rise of the 'security police officer' continues, it will be more and more legally contentious.

 

[surfacemount]

Just for fun:

No vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any steady-burning lights that display to the front of the vehicle in any color other than white or amber or in any combination of colors other than white and amber, except for the following vehicles:

and

No vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing lights in any color or combination of colors that display to the front of the vehicle, other than factory installed emergency flashers, except as provided in this section and for the following vehicles:

With regards to security:

provided, that the flashing lights authorized by this subdivision (d)(1)(B) for security services vehicles shall not be operated or illuminated while the vehicle is on a public road, in motion or stationary, and shall only be illuminated when patrolling a shopping center or mall parking lot or other private premises or if stopped in a hazardous location for the purposes of warning;

Here's the rub: If Knox County Schools Division are acting as a guard company, they generally need to be licensed by the state and should not have blue lights. If they are acting as private police, then they need to be POST certified and then they can use whatever color they want.

Right now, they think that because they operate out of the back door of the Sheriffs' Office everything is cool; all it takes is one news investigation or a lawsuit, and a lot of the good they've done and worked towards will be undone.

 

[INDY72]

Wow.

That's a necropost!

At any rate, those posting in this should probably look at the latest revisions to Tennessee's light law that took effect in the last month or so.

Draconian doesn't even begin to address them; I have fought it for years as it got more and more restrictive. The governors office say it was complaint driven; I find it very hard to believe.

People who have deputations as a Special Officer / Special Deputy have police powers. The issue comes in when they are mixed with a security role. UT Med Center is an excellent example of that; they've gotten in trouble and lost lawsuits repeatedly, setting legal precedents others now have to follow.

As the rise of the 'security police officer' continues, it will be more and more legally contentious.

LOL oh your true dat on this. We have interesting similarity here in IN in Marion County... The SO has an Special Business Deputy division, and on section of this operates as the Security/Police for an local hospital system (Eskenazi Health, formerly Wishard), and have a special deal that is convoluted twisted and tied up with the State DOC and the Hospital... It allows them to operate as Eskenazi Patrol, with marked patrol cars running full LEA lights and sirens, and with locations all over Indianapolis, they run code 3 to respond to calls at the clinics etc... On city streets not just on facility grounds.... You should read some of the posts on official LEA forums over this fun stuff.

 

[WatnNY]

In Knox County, there is some security officers that are Special Deputies/Bonded Officers that are allowed to run emergency lights and sirens. But only certain ones such as Knox County Schools Security Division (KCSD) which has blue/red lights with siren on their patrol units and UT Medical Security vehicles have red lights with siren. I do not know if other counties allow this or not for security officers that are bonded. This allows them to respond to situations that occur involving them or their properties. UTMC use to be a full time police force before the state quit running it. I believe UT Medical is only restricted to their property with that use but School Division can use it anywhere in the county along with responding through surrounding counties if the need arises. .But I am unsure of how the laws work on that. No other security agency uses blue or red lights in Knox County that I know of.

Children's Hospital Security, Parkwest Medical Center and Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center Security, all bonded deputies through Knox County, use red lights and sirens...

Mike

 

[zachgallop]

School Divison is no longer licensed under the state as a Security guards they did away with that when they got the bonds.The problem I have with special deputies who are Security Officers is they sometimes claim to be LEO'S and Police Officers. People even see them as such. They even dress like Law enforcement not putting security anywhere on their uniform which I guess is not required but they still should not be in Law Enforcement type uniforms. Which the law is not very clear on that. It is very confusing to know if some people are actually POST Certified LEOs that work for a LEA sometimes. I get why they do that because alot of people would not respect their authority otherwise. Like some people do not know they sheriff or chief can deputize people. Just because they have Law Enforcement powers does not make them an LEO as defined in TCA. Alot of Knox County Schools Security tells people they are Law Enforcement and police officers. Which I think is partly confusion. As did UTMC Security in one video. My personal opinion is if they have lights and sirens they should work for a emergency agency and if they have red/blue lights they should be POST Certified & work for a LEA. Or just work for a LEA period. Knox County Schools Security isn't even legally allowed to call themselves a School Resource Officer because they do not meet that statue. They do however meet the defintion for School Security Officers (SSO). They sometimes even go to domestics with KPD near the school with their LEO partner assigned to the school. If I remember right their training did not cover domestics. Yet they still call themselves SROs to people even though their Official Tittle is SSO. Knox County School Security is setup very well and ran like a police department but their training is lacking in the sense of the amount. They get very good training just their needs to be more. Their standards are improving every year. Which I believe they are trying to get more training. At this point they only go to 9 weeks at the academy. I think it is 11 this summer. Sorry for the long rant I could go on more. I respect Knox County Schools Security in alot of ways but some of their officers act very unprofessional. But I appreciate them keeping KCS safe everyday. The county and the city SRO's/SPO'S just could't cover all the schools all the time. Luckily the main ones I know are very professional and are very good at their job. They truly care about connections with us students. I know one of the guys who drives the marked patrol units. They make very positive connections. Some choose not too even try but I can say there alot of them that try. Mine is very good for connecting with students. I go to a smaller high school and not a regular type in Knox so it's alot easier. Alot of High Schools see them as the police so it is hard to make connections with them. KCSD, KCSO, and KPD show up to our school we talk to them. They play a very important role in public safety. If you have students that trust you we will report stuff to them. The very few things my school has that has went on we go to him before administration.Those patrol units help them alot they have big response area with very few units to be able to respond. KCSD responds to incidents off campus too such as on buses so it helps them get there quick and be visible when on scene such as on the interstate. I have been told they go to EVOC.They even have a few unmarked. Also if anybody wants to look in Wiki I put some of their unit roster not alot of it due to safety of the schools (Just the major units). Below is a pic of one their patrol units I'll see if I can get a pic of the inside with the radios I'm sure some would like to see it. Their radio setup is really good in Dispatch and the patrol units. The photos below is just from https://www.knoxschools.org/Page/14598. The lights are in the front dash in upper section one red and one blue, the grill as well, and one on each side. Which I believe they plan on adding a few more.

 

[zachgallop]

Here is another picture as well of their patrol unit: from https://www.knoxschools.org/Page/14598 . Only a few have them. Such as the command staff and patrol. Most KCSD personnel use their personal vehicles.

 

[teufler]

Missouri, green lights are new media. We have a road rally, performance car type once a year. Temporarily the county roads are "removed" from state jurisdiction. They are closed so cars can go at speed. State and County have no vehicle safety jurisdiction while the road is closed to racing. The state police have responsibility for all roads in the state of Missouri but if the roads have been removed by the county, its like the road does not exist. So for our safety, rescue, and medical staff, any light we want to use in performance of their duties is fine. All red for safety, blue and red for are LEO and crowd control, and tow trucks use amber lights.. Once we are off a stage, the lights must be covered. This does not apply to the LEO's as they are law enforcement officers in their home areas. Following these guidelines, we have never had a problem with the state police or county police.

 

[N9IIT]

Right now, they think that because they operate out of the back door of the Sheriffs' Office everything is cool; all it takes is one news investigation or a lawsuit, and a lot of the good they've done and worked towards will be undone.

After the events in Broward County, Florida you're going to see school security get even more LE powers, not less.

 

[Golay]

Southeastern Repeater Association

Just a quick query to hams in Tennessee. I was on the Southeastern Repeater Association website, which appears to be the repeater coordinator for a few states in and around the Volunteer State. I don't see a repeater directory on that site. Am I just not finding it?

Thanks.

 

[W4EMS]

They don't publish it on their website. It is included in their quarterly journal available only to members.
Here is a link to a different source that is a good reference and to me is easier to read: Link
Doc W4EMS

 

[surfacemount]

Wow.

That was a long post, buddy.

I'm not going to try to address all of it. You are mostly right, and show a great deal of good powers of observation.

In our state, a special deputy IS a police officer. Period. Full stop.

They can be limited by the person doing the deputating, but they are police.

Here is where it gets complicated, and the reason for my previous post:

There are full time police officers, and there are everybody else.

Everybody else includes part time, special, and reserve officers.

All of those are police officers. They can detain, investigate and arrest in our state. The difference comes from pay and certification. Only fulltime officers have to be POST certified. Part time, Special and Reserves do not. They must have 80 hours of training acceptable to POST in areas the Chief / Sheriff deem important.

IF you are paid to do police work, and you do over a certain number of hours, and you are not working for a college, POST considers you a FT police officer, and you must be POST certified or on a waiver within X number of days of employment.

Until this year, colleges did not fall under POST, but a bit of law change fixed that; we will see what that causes shortly. Airports used to be another special case, and there are carveouts for private police in uh, premiere tourist resorts (I forget the title now, it gave elite communities like Fairfield Glade real police departments), and another for Arnold AFB to have private deputies.

Back on track, if you work for pay under this cutoff number, this is a Reserve officer.

A Special Deputy / Officer can work as many hours as they wish, but they cannot receive pay for it. This has jammed departments up for 30 years, because this is how they try to avoid sending an officer to the academy.

The academy for police officers (there is no academy for security guards, Pellissippi State had one in the 90's but it folded), is about 8-10 weeks. When I went in the late 90's it was 525 hours.

There is no statute in TN for SRO's, unless you can show it to me. There is no state title SSO, either.

Again, Knox County has done a noble thing running the schools division out of their back door, but again, if they are acting as police officers, unless there was a private act allowing it, they have to be POST certified. If they aren't, they have to be licensed as guards. They can say they are police, because they are sworn deputies (bonded refers to the surety bond they have to obtain as part of the process).

If the Sheriff allows it, they can even wear uniforms. KPD does the same thing, and do have special officers; they guarded the civic coliseum for years among other places.

The only loophole for guards has been state community colleges. Because they are a state entity, they do not fall under Title 62 Chapter 35, and so do not have to be licensed as guards.

If you can point to state law that contradicts me, by all means, please provide it to me, as this sort of thing is very important to me right now. Thanks!

Source: I have been a Special Deputy, Field Deputy, Part-Time Police Officer, Full-Time Police Officer or Armed Guard / Officer since the late 80's.

 

[zachgallop]

Knox County Schools Security Division is not employed by any Law Enforcement Agency but they work for the Knox County School Board, I believe that is where they do not have to worry about the pay part. Their bond is from the Knox County Sheriff. Most are restricted bonds. But their official title is SSO in the school safety plans and so on along with the memorandum of understanding document between all the parties. They have LEO Partners and SRO on the safety plans for the actual KPD or KCSO Officer assigned to that that school. Knox County Sheriff’s Office call their Officers in Schools a School Police Officer or “SPO”. KPD calls theirs a "SRO". But Knox County Schools Security Division like to call themselves SRO (as in the individual officers telling people that), which I believe the abbreviation "SRO" is not a legal definition under T.C.A but under their is employment standards for School Resource Officers in T.C.A 49-6-4217. School Security Officer is defined under 49-6-4206. I could send you their training schedule by PM or Email from last year it has Tennessee POST Training Commission at the top of, but I believe that is for the Special Deputy part making sure they are qualified or I could be wrong that could be for their SRO certification. Last year their academy was only 8 weeks long, I believe it is 9 this year. There may be no official academy for security but they can always have their own like what Knox County Schools does. There is the minimum amount of training for the Special Deputy thing, but they far exceed it. Their PT Requirements I am pretty sure do not meet POST Certification. Also wouldn’t they also have to have the driving training (EVOC) to be POST Certified? (Which they do not). But in most states including Tennessee I thought you had to work for an actual Law Enforcement Agency and be POST Certified before you could even be an SRO. I am unsure on that. They have 5 that did not go threw any type of training barley, that work for School Division besides firearm training. They qualify twice a year with their firearm. Just numerous people in law enforcement and involving law enforcement tend to agree with me they are not police officers, SRO’s,or LEO’s. Also in addition Knox County Calls them “Security Officer or School Security Officers” when they refer to them over the radio and when they call them on the radio. Can you tell me the specific statue that defines Special Deputies as Law Enforcement Officers? Also I could not find any mention under TCA 55-9-414 and 55-8-108 allowing special deputies to drive cars with/using a blue flashing lights or the combination of blue/red lights.The only thing close I saw mention of was Reserve Officers and Auxiliary Officer driving police or sheriff’s vehicle. Knox County School Security Division drive Knox County Schools Vehicle, which do not belong to either Law Enforcement Agency.

 

[surfacemount]

Wow,

That's a wall of words, but thanks for the responses.

Again, a special deputy *IS* a police officer. Period. Just wanted to lead off with that.

I'll try to respond to your questions, but sorry if I miss any, kinda pressed for time right now:

"Most are restricted bonds."

Do you know in what way(s) they are 'restricted'? That would be interesting to learn, especially if they are stamped on their Sheriff Commission cards.

" They have LEO Partners"
That's a *very* interesting dynamic. Wonder if that is somehow regulatory?

"49-6-4202."
(6) "School resource officer" means a law enforcement officer, as defined under § 39-11-106, who is in compliance with all laws, rules and regulations of the peace officers standards and training commission and who has been assigned to a school in accordance with a memorandum of understanding between the chief of the appropriate law enforcement agency and the LEA;

39-11-106
(21) "Law enforcement officer" means an officer, employee or agent of government who has a duty imposed by law to:

(A) Maintain public order; or

(B) Make arrests for offenses, whether that duty extends to all offenses or is limited to specific offenses; and

(C) Investigate the commission or suspected commission of offenses;

"49-6-4217"
(a) Training courses for school resource officers shall be designed specifically for school policing and shall be administered by an entity or organization approved by the peace officers standards and training (POST) commission.

(b) School resource officers shall participate in forty (40) hours of basic training in school policing within twelve (12) months of assignment to a school. Every year thereafter they shall participate in a minimum of sixteen (16) hours of training specific to school policing that has been approved by the POST commission.

It tends to indicate it applies to a regular police officer assigned to a school to provide law enforcement resources.

"School Security Officer is defined under 49-6-4206."

Well, actually that law was written for a school district awhile back. It doesn't create the title of sso. It says if you do (a) or (b) and (c) you fall under this code, and for the purposes of this code, we'll call it that.

It allows those people to do stuff involving juveniles while off-campus, but that's the complete extent of it.

"I could send you their training schedule"

Thanks, I really appreciate you reaching out, but I'll just take your word for it. Good enough for me. I think you're right about them getting some in-service towards their deputation, but that's a new thing. Might be because at some point they'll do something crazy like apply for blanket certification or something.

" Also wouldn’t they also have to have the driving training (EVOC) to be POST Certified?"
Yes. They'd have to have a certain amount of initial training, plus the yearly Vanessa K Free module. Knox county has their own track and instructors, so if they didn't get that during their school (only POST-approved schools can be truly called an 'academy') I can't imagine why.

"But in most states including Tennessee I thought you had to work for an actual Law Enforcement Agency and be POST Certified before you could even be an SRO. I am unsure on that."

That's my understanding, also; the US is in a Renaissance of school security right now, so difficult to say currently with any authority. Also, like the military, you can get anything waived if you have enough influence.

" They have 5 that did not go threw any type of training barley,"
See above last sentence; training requirements for special deputies in this state only came about a few years ago.

". Just numerous people in law enforcement and involving law enforcement tend to agree with me they are not police officers, SRO’s,or LEO’s. Also in addition Knox County Calls them “Security Officer or School Security Officers” when they refer to them over the radio and when they call them on the radio."

You're in high school, so you're familiar with cliques (clicks). It doesn't get any better when you get older. There is a pecking order in law enforcement. The gold standard is a full-time, sworn, certified Patrol officer. Everything else rates lower. Few FT people show any respect to reserves, and especially not a special deputy. Many look down on part timers.

Also

Look at the verbiage on the cars. If they could say 'Sheriff' or 'Police', they would in a heartbeat. Apparently, something is preventing that, so they don't have it on there. Schools... what?

This tells me they are in a grey area, as I've posted here over time. From a liability standpoint, grey is a dangerous place to be.

"Can you tell me the specific statue that defines Special Deputies as Law Enforcement Officers?"

Sure.

38-8-101. Part definitions
(6)

(A) "Special deputy" means any person who is assigned specific police functions as to the prevention and detection of crime and general laws of this state on a volunteer basis, whether working alone or with other police officers.

(B) Any police officer working on a volunteer basis shall receive no pay or benefits, except for honorariums, and may be utilized for an unlimited number of hours.

(4) "Private special deputy" means a person who is employed and compensated by a resort area owner or management company to act as security and law enforcement for the resort area and whose qualifications and training requirements are equivalent to or superior to those required for a law enforcement officer under the standards established by the peace officer standards and training commission for law enforcement officers;

and

(3) "Part-time police officer," "temporary police officer," "reserve police officer," or "auxiliary police officer" means any person employed by any municipality or any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee whose primary responsibility is to support the full-time police officer in the prevention and detection of crime, apprehension of offenders, and assisting in the prosecution of offenders for appropriate remuneration in measure with specifically assigned duties or job description. Part-time police officers shall work not more than twenty (20) hours per week, for a total of not more than one hundred (100) hours per month. Any police officer who works in excess of the maximum hours as specified in this subdivision (3) shall be reclassified to a full-time status and must meet all requirements for standards and training as mandated under the law and peace officer standards and training commission rules. In any situation where an officer is temporarily assigned, for a period of one (1) month or less, to work more than twenty (20) hours per week, for a total of not more than one hundred (100) hours per month, the officer shall not be reclassified to a full-time status;

Note, these are laws. They hold more force than say a POST or C&I regulation, or state/local ordinance or county/city policy.

Also, see 38-8-106. Qualifications of police officers, for a list of things a special deputy have to be in order to be commissioned. Also see 38-8-118 and 8-8-212

"Also I could not find any mention under TCA 55-9-414 and 55-8-108 allowing special deputies to drive cars with/using a blue flashing lights or the combination of blue/red lights."

That whole section of code has been contentious. I've never seen a ticket thrown out over it, and Reserves have been given unmarked cars and worked plain clothes quite a bit, regardless of what that code reads.

This all goes back to my initial comments that sparked all of this off. You can get away with any thing if no one questions it. They appear to operate in a grey area, and as long nothing contentious that attracts WATE or a lawyer or some fb room video, they can continue to do whatever they want... forever.

 

[zachgallop]

Thank you for explaining all that. For the bond, It depends on the officer. Usually most of the officers just assigned to regular school assignments are restricted. When they are restricted they are supposed to have a read line on their bond card/id. Restricted is when as soon as they get home or off duty they have to put their firearm up in the lockbox, they can only carry it when they are on a school assignment. That is not only restricted to school property but they can also work off campus School events. Also restricted means if it does not have to do with Knox County Schools they can not act as Special Deputies but only as a private citizen. Their Chief, Major, Lt’s, Investigator, Patrol Officers then other officers with special assignments along with a few sgts and officer have full, which is a blue line on their card. That means they can act wether it has to do with Knox County Schools or not and also carry their firearm anytime. Knox County Schools just does their own academy or training. They get some training from KCSO and KPD on a few things but most is does by their Division. They use the Sheriff’s Office Training Academy for a week of firearms but I am pretty sure their instructors do it. They have instructors for ASP, Firearms, CPR and Freeze + P. Their is 5 superviors from Captain to Sergeant for the Knox County Sheriff’s School Police Unit. Then 24 officers for county. One being assigned to a private school. Knoxville Police has 5 Officers for every high school with the exception of STEM they just come as needed it was West but now it is Fulton assigned to us. Then KPD has 7 assigned to ever middle school in the city. Two High Schools have two KPD Officers and most high schools have two School Division Officer with one usually being a sergeant for that particular district. So the special high schools might only have one officer but other may have 4 in the city. I posted a vague Roster on the wiki section because I did not want people to know which Unit is assigned to what school because they do not usually announce their location name for school security. The ones that work for the LEA have multiple schools they are assigned to just usually a middle or high school is their base. They are their do police reports, transports, trespassing, school zone speeding setup, and other stuff. Their patrol units can not make any traffic stops or transport. School Division does not do police reports they have their own form. School Division Officer mostly drive POVS minus the patrol officer (night and day) and a few others. The reason for LEO partners is that and also they have been around awhile since before they had their bonds.I do believe with the SRO thing TN SRO Association and I think the national one allowed them to join on with their stuff. They put schools because the sheriff will not allow them to put Police or Sheriff on their they do not work for him kinda and those are Knox County Schools Vehicles. Their is no such thing as Knox County Schools Police but their is Knox County Schools Security. They probably put that like who would take a vehicle with SECURITY down the side while responding to calls Schools in better. To me they are like Security-Police like in Oak Ridge. But that would have to be alot more confusing stuff because they would have to become a police agency in way I think. They use to be a Police Department a long long time ago. Then they changed to unarmed School Patrol I believe then to armed School Security with their PPS Cards (after one of them was shot on halloween working a school event). I think they are called and when this new chief took over he did away with those then got the Special Deputy Bonds. They haven’t had those too long. Yeah I understand, I mean they County Officer especially ones in the Schools see them as brothers in blue but they still see them as security at the same time. Like many of them are very good friends with eachother. They also wear bodycams. Their website can explain what positions they have for some. They are setup very much like a police dept. They will not go to it again unless they have too because of the searches. Can I pm you about those and other stuff? They have some very nice equipment. Sorry for the wall of words, I probably was not very clear.

 

[acs680]

What private school?

 

[zachgallop]

What private school?

Catholic HS. It has been that way for a long long time. I sure hope the reimburse KCSO. They had the same one for awhile and he was very involved with the school. He retired and they got a new one for this school year.The rest hire off duty ones from KPD and KCSO.