Short title

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the ‘‘Georgia Mutual Aid Act.’’ History. — Code 1981, § 36-69-1, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 887, § 1. 36-69-2. ‘‘Local emergency’’ defined. As used in this chapter, the term ‘‘local emergency’’ means the existence of conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a political subdivision of the state or on a campus of an institution within the University System of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia caused by natural disasters, riots, civil disturbances, or other situations presenting major law enforcement and other public safety problems, which conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of that political subdivision of the state and which require the combined forces of other political subdivisions of the state to combat. History. — Code 1981, § 36-69-2, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 887, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1959, § 1; Ga. L. 2018, p. 550, § 5-4/SB 407. The 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2018, inserted ‘‘or the Technical College System of Georgia’’ after ‘‘University System of Georgia’’ in this Code section. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2018, p. 550, § 5-4/SB 407, which amended this Code section, purported to amend Code Section 36-36-2 but actually amended Code Section 36-69-2. 1049 36-69-3 36-69-3. Extraterritorial cooperation and assistance to local law enforcement agencies or fire departments; commander of operations. (a)(1) Upon the request of a local law enforcement agency for assistance in a local emergency, in the prevention or detection of violations of any law, in the apprehension or arrest of any person who violates a criminal law of this state, or in any criminal case, the chief of police or public safety director of any municipality or chief of police or public safety director of any county police force may, with the approval of the governing authority of any such officer’s political subdivision, and the sheriff of any county may cooperate with and render assistance extraterritorially to such local law enforcement agency requesting the same. (2)(A) Upon the request of a local law enforcement agency for assistance in a local emergency, in the prevention or detection of violations of any law, in the apprehension or arrest of any person who violates a criminal law of this state, or in any criminal case, the public safety director or chief of police of any institution within the University System of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia may, with the approval of the president of such institution, cooperate with and render assistance extraterritorially to such law enforcement agency requesting the same. (B) Upon the request for assistance in a local emergency, in the prevention or detection of violations of any law, in the apprehension or arrest of any person who violates a criminal law of this state, or in any criminal case, which request is made by a public safety director or chief of police of any institution within the University System of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia after approval by the president of such institution, the chief of police or public safety director of any municipality or any county police force may, with the approval of the governing authority of any such officer’s political subdivision and the sheriff of the county, cooperate with and render assistance extraterritorially to such law enforcement agency of the institution requesting the same. (b) Upon the request of any local fire department for assistance in a local emergency, in preventing or suppressing a fire, or in protecting life and property, the fire chief or public safety director of any local political subdivision may, with the approval of the governing authority of such political subdivision, cooperate with and render assistance extraterritorially to such local fire department requesting the same. (c) Upon the request of any local law enforcement agency or local director of emergency medical services for assistance in a local emer1050 36-69-3 gency or in transporting wounded, injured, or sick persons to a place where medical or hospital care is furnished, emergency medical technicians employed by a political subdivision may, with the approval of the governing authority of such political subdivision, cooperate with and render assistance extraterritorially to such local law enforcement agency or local director of emergency services. (d) Authorization for furnishing assistance extraterritorially may be granted by the sheriff of any county or the governing authority of a local political subdivision or the president of an institution within the University System of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia to any of its agencies or employees covered by this Code section prior to any occurrence resulting in the need for such assistance; provided, however, that any prior authorization granted by the president of an institution within the University System of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia for the furnishing of assistance extraterritorially must be submitted to and approved by the board of regents or the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, respectively, before it becomes effective. Such authorization may provide limitations and restrictions on such assistance furnished extraterritorially, provided that such limitations and restrictions do not conflict with the provisions of Code Sections 36-69-4 through 36-69-6. (e) The senior officer of the public safety agency of a political subdivision or institution within the University System of Georgia or the Technical College System of Georgia which requests assistance in a local emergency as provided in this Code section shall be in command of the local emergency as to strategy, tactics, and overall direction of the operations with respect to the public safety officers and employees rendering assistance extraterritorially at the request of such public safety agency. All orders or directions regarding the operations of the public safety officers and employees rendering assistance extraterritorially shall be relayed to the senior officer in command of the public safety agency rendering assistance extraterritorially. History. — Code 1981, § 36-69-3, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 887, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1959, § 2; Ga. L. 2018, p. 550, § 5-3/SB 407. The 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2018, inserted ‘‘or the Technical College System of Georgia’’ throughout this Code section; in subparagraph (a)(2)(B), deleted ‘‘chief of police or public safety director of ’’ following ‘‘municipality or’’ in the middle, substituted ‘‘subdivision and the sheriff of the county, cooperate’’ for ‘‘subdivision, and the sheriff of the county may cooperate’’ near the end; and inserted ‘‘or the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, respectively,’’ near the end of the first sentence of subsection (d).