Title 4, State Government

The members of the Tennessee highway patrol have jurisdiction and authority to make such investigation of operators of motor vehicles for hire as they may see fit to ascertain whether or not they are operating in compliance with § 65-15-109, and whether or not they are otherwise …

(a) The Tennessee highway patrol is granted the further authority, and it is its duty, to enforce title 44, chapter 2, part 1, relative to the prevention of the spread of communicable diseases among domestic animals and protection to the livestock industry. (b) The Tennessee high…

(a) The members of the Tennessee highway patrol are clothed with all such necessary police powers as will enable them properly to perform their duties, as outlined and defined in §§ 4-7-104 — 4-7-106, including the right to make arrests and the right to serve criminal warrants an…

It is lawful for Tennessee highway patrol officers employed by the Tennessee highway patrol to wear or carry a pistol at such times as they are in uniform and on active duty, in like manner as the city or metropolitan police officers.

(a) Whenever a commissioned member of the department of safety is injured in the line of duty and such injury disables the member from performing the member's regular duties, whether such disability is temporary or permanent, it is lawful for the commissioner of safety, in the co…

(a) Any commissioned member of the department of safety, who performs honorably and retires from the department in good standing, as determined solely by the commissioner, shall be issued by the department a retired commission card, which shall identify the member, the member’s d…

(a) In addition to all other salary benefits otherwise payable, every commissioned member of the department of safety shall be paid longevity pay according to the following schedule:(1) First through the fifth year — none;(2) Beginning with the month following the fifth anniversa…

(a) The commissioner of safety is charged with the proper administration of this part, and may make such rules and regulations relating thereto as may be necessary. (b) The expenses of carrying out this part, including the compensation of the members of the Tennessee highway patr…

(a) This part is necessary to:(1) Protect the lives and safety of the traveling public on state highways;(2) Conserve and preserve the state's property; and(3) Assist in the collection of state revenues. (1) Protect the lives and safety of the traveling public on state highways; …

(a) The members of the Tennessee highway patrol have jurisdiction and authority, and it is their duty, to aid in the enforcement of the criminal provisions of title 55, chapter 5 and § 39-14-103, whenever an alleged violation of those statutory provisions involves unlawful taking…

The Tennessee highway patrol is authorized to utilize dogs trained to detect marijuana and other illicit substances in its work, as may be desirable and appropriate.

(a) When a canine that was utilized in the service of the highway patrol is retired due to age, service-related injury, or any other reason, and the canine is retired to the care and custody of a highway patrol officer, whether active or retired, the department of safety, from fu…

(a) Effective August 1, 2003, before a person appointed by the commissioner can become a commissioned member of the highway patrol, such person, as a part of the training for such position, shall complete a course of instruction in animal behavior generally and canine behavior sp…

(a) If the commissioner of safety or the governor has assigned a protection detail for purposes of protecting or escorting a person when required for security, threat assessments, or safety precautions for the protectee or general welfare of the public, then:(1) Officers of the T…

No member of the Tennessee highway patrol shall engage in political activity, support or opposition to any candidate, party or measure in any election when on duty or acting in the member's official capacity. When off duty and acting as a private citizen, no member of the Tenness…

Highway patrol officers certified as trained in accordance with a memorandum of understanding between the state of Tennessee and the United States department of homeland security pursuant to § 4-3-2015 are authorized to enforce federal immigration laws while performing within the…

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, retired members of the Tennessee highway patrol are eligible to be employed by local law enforcement agencies; provided, that the retired member meets the certification and firearms training requirements of the local law enforcement …

The commissioner of human resources shall annually conduct a survey of the then current compensation levels of the duty classifications and classes of position in § 4-7-203 in the following adjacent states — Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkan…

The commissioner of human resources is directed to annually report on or before September 1, the data and conclusions of the compensation survey to the commissioner of safety, the commissioner of finance and administration, the finance, ways and means committees of the senate and…

(a) (1) The commissioner of human resources shall determine corresponding duty classifications of highway patrol officers or other state officers of the adjacent states who perform the same or similar duties as fully commissioned members employed by the department of safety, and …

(a) (1) The survey shall determine the lowest step in the range in each adjacent state for each class of position in each duty classification, and from such data determine the average compensation paid in the adjacent states for each class of position in each duty classification.…

(a) The salary schedule determined by the most recent compensation survey shall be implemented by the commissioners of human resources and finance and administration in the next fiscal year, subject only to availability of appropriations. (b) In each fiscal year all funds appropr…

(a) For implementation purposes in the initial fiscal year of the compensation survey, the fully commissioned members of each duty classification in the Jerry F. Agee Tennessee law enforcement training academy shall be paid in accordance with the following schedule for the proper…

Any promotion to a higher class of position shall result in a minimum increase of compensation of at least five percent (5%), notwithstanding § 4-7-206.

For implementation purposes of the compensation survey in fiscal year 1988-1989, and in all subsequent fiscal years, the average compensation for each class of position in each duty classification shall be determined in accordance with § 4-7-204(a)(1). All other steps shall be co…

(a) Implementation of salary increases pursuant to this part based on step schedules shall be suspended for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004, and beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010. In the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2004, and Jul…

The commissioner of safety may establish a hazardous duty designation for members of the highway patrol that may be used to authorize additional compensation for designated members.

This part shall be known and may be cited as the “Litter Prevention and Control Law.”

(a) There is created within the Tennessee highway patrol a special unit for the enforcement of the Litter Control Law, compiled in title 39, chapter 14, part 5. The unit shall consist of a minimum of eight (8) members of the highway patrol. Such members shall be stationed in equa…

The members of the special unit created by this part have jurisdiction and authority, and it is their duty, to enforce the Litter Control Law, compiled in title 39, chapter 14, part 5. Such jurisdiction shall include all public roads, highways, rights-of-way, waters and property.

The special unit created by this part shall encourage citizens to report violations of the Litter Control Law, compiled in title 39, chapter 14, part 5, and to prosecute offenders. If a citizen reports a violation of such law and declines to prosecute, the special unit shall noti…

The commissioner of safety shall provide for appropriate training for members of the special unit created by this part. The commissioner may promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in chapter 5 of this title, to impl…

The special unit created by this part shall encourage the citizens of this state to cooperate with the department in preventing and controlling violations of the Litter Control Law, compiled in title 39, chapter 14, part 5. Such unit shall develop programs to accomplish such coop…

There is created the criminal investigation division within the Tennessee highway patrol, referred to as “CID” in this part.

(a) The mission of the CID shall be to investigate, gather evidence and assist federal, state and local law enforcement in the prosecution of criminal offenses enumerated in § 4-7-404(3). (b) The CID shall have original jurisdiction to enforce title 55, chapter 5, relative to aut…

The CID shall be staffed in an appropriate and professional manner to carry out its duties and functions. Such staffing shall be in the discretion of the commissioner of safety.

(1) Members of the CID shall have the authority to:(1) Provide investigative and technical support to the highway patrol in all criminal matters initiated by their actions;(2) Provide investigative and technical support to the driver license division of the department of safety;(…

The CID may also assist the Tennessee bureau of investigation (TBI) in any other criminal investigations not specified in § 4-7-404, upon written request by the director of the TBI and approval of the commissioner of safety.