A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct local law enforcement agencies to increase the age requirement for traffic control officers and to offer a traffic control training course and roadside training REGIMEN for those THAT WOULD be appointed as a traffic control officer.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑114.1(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	The chief of police of a local or county police department or the sheriff of any county is authorized to appoint traffic‑control officers, who shall have attained the age of 21 years and who are hereby authorized to direct, control, or regulate traffic within their respective jurisdictions at times and places specifically designated in writing by the police chief or the sheriff. A traffic‑control officer, when exercising this authority, must be attired in a distinguishing uniform or jacket indicating that he is a traffic‑control officer and must possess a valid authorization card issued by the police chief or sheriff who appointed him. Unless an earlier expiration date is specified, an authorization card shall expire two years from the date of its issuance. In order to be appointed as a traffic‑control officer, a person shall complete a training course in traffic laws and traffic control and shall complete at least four hours of roadside training in directing, controlling, or regulating traffic under the supervision of a law‑enforcement officer. Both the training course and roadside training shall be conducted by the law enforcement agency issuing the authorization card, and any costs of the training shall be borne by the traffic control officer trainee. A traffic‑control officer shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the respective local or county police department or sheriff's office as well as the lawful command of any other law‑enforcement officer. The appointing police chief or sheriff shall have the right to revoke the appointment of any traffic‑control officer at any time with or without cause. The appointing police chief or sheriff shall not be held liable for any act or omission of a traffic‑control officer. A traffic‑control officer shall not be deemed to be an agent or employee of the respective local or county police department or of the sheriff's office, nor shall he be considered a law‑enforcement officer except as provided herein. A traffic‑control officer shall not have nor shall he exercise the power of arrest."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2019.