The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
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An Act authorizing certain federal personnel to exercise police powers in the Commonwealth. |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION
1. Chapter 147 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition,
is hereby amended by inserting after section 2 the following section:—
Section 2A. All federal law enforcement officers who have successfully
completed the required training program for their respective agencies which
qualifies them to hold the position “GA-1811”, so called, including but not
limited to bureau of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms special agents, drug
enforcement administration special agents, federal bureau of investigation
special agents, immigration and naturalization service immigration inspectors,
special agents and patrol officers, United States customs service special
agents, inspectors and patrol officers, United States marshals service
deputies, United States postal service police officers and inspectors, and
United States secret service special agents, shall have and exercise throughout
the commonwealth, certain powers of police officers.
Such federal agents that have earned this police officer status shall only be
allowed to:
(i) make a warrant less arrest, in accordance with section 98A of chapter 41,
for any felony committed in the agent’s presence;
(ii) make a warrant less arrest, in accordance with section 98A of chapter 41,
for any felony committed outside the agent’s presence, provided that the
arresting agent has probable cause to believe that the person so arrested had
committed such offense;
(iii) conduct
constitutionally permissible warrant less searches incidental to an arrest made
pursuant to the provisions of this section;
(iv) direct and serve a valid arrest warrant in any part of the commonwealth in
accordance with section 23 of chapter 276;
(v) make a warrant less arrest, in accordance with section 28 of chapter 276,
for any misdemeanor committed against a person or property.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no federal law
enforcement agent who has earned this police officer status shall have the
power to arrest as authorized by chapter 90.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, all federal law
enforcement agents who have earned this police officer status shall have the
same privileges and immunities as every sworn police officer of the
commonwealth.