Senate Bill No. 461 Summary

• Authorizes any city not within a county to establish a municipal police force on or after January 1, 2013, with orderly transition procedures for assets, personnel, and obligations from the board of police commissioners.

• Requires the city to employ all existing commissioned and civilian personnel without reduction in rank, salary, or benefits, and recognize their accrued years of service with the previous board.

• Establishes a transition committee of five members to coordinate the transfer of authority, operations, and assets from the board of police commissioners to the city.

• Prohibits state and political subdivision officials from impeding or obstructing municipal police officers in their duties, with violations subject to $2,500 penalties and permanent disqualification from office.

• Restricts municipal police officers from partisan political activities including candidacy for office, use of official influence for elections, and coercion of political contributions, with violations punishable by fines up to $500 and imprisonment up to six months.