AL HB14

Attorney General or Governor may jointly appoint an interim police chief to a municipal police department upon determining a particular and ongoing threat to public safety exists, contingent on reviewing crime statistics, consulting with district attorney, county sheriff, and crime victims, and confirming law enforcement staffing has declined 30 percent or more from the 10-year average.

Interim police chief serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority and is not subject to the mayor, city council, or other municipal officials; serves until the appointing authority determines the threat to public safety no longer exists.

Appointing authority pays the interim police chief's salary from its operating account with discretionary determination of compensation amount; if sheriff is appointed, additional compensation cannot exceed $75,000 per year.

Municipality with interim police chief must maintain funding commensurate with the average of the five preceding fiscal years and maintain police department agreements and operations at the average level of those five years; violations result in loss of all state funds, grants, and appropriations until compliance is achieved.

Appointing authority may petition circuit court to recover all costs incurred, with courts awarding full cost reimbursement if appointment procedures were properly satisfied.