This section gives certain law enforcement officers, special officers, and courts expanded authority around Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline, and it limits some actions outside the three counties.
(a)Where a joint resolution so provides, all law enforcement officers, or those officers as may be designated in the joint resolution, with territorial jurisdiction as to any part of Mountain Island Lake or its shoreline area shall, within the limitations of their subject matter jurisdiction, have the authority of peace officers in enforcing the laws over all of Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area. (b)Where a joint resolution provides it, the Commission may hire special officers to patrol and enforce the laws on Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area. These special officers have and exercise all the powers of peace officers generally within the area in question and shall take the oaths and be subject to all provisions of law relating to law enforcement officers. (c)Unless a joint resolution provides otherwise, all courts in the three counties within the limits of their subject matter jurisdiction shall have concurrent jurisdiction as to all criminal offenses arising within the boundaries of Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area. (d)Where a law enforcement officer with jurisdiction over any part of Mountain Island Lake or its shoreline area is performing duties relating to the enforcement of the laws on Mountain Island Lake or in its shoreline area, the officer has the extraterritorial jurisdiction necessary to perform his duties. These duties include investigation of crimes an officer reasonably believes have been, or are about to be, committed within the area in question. This includes traversing by reasonable routes from one portion of that area to another although across territory not within the boundaries of Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area; conducting prisoners in custody to court or detention facilities as authorized by law, although this may involve going outside the area in question; execution of process connected with any criminal offense alleged to have been committed within the boundaries in question, except that such process may not be executed by virtue of this provision beyond the boundaries of the three counties. This also includes continuing pursuit of and arresting any violator or suspected violator as to which grounds for arrest arose within the area in question. (e)Where law enforcement officers are given additional territorial jurisdiction under the provisions of this section, this shall be deemed an extension of the duties of the office held, and no officer shall take any additional oath or title of office. Reserved for future codification purposes. History: History.1997-257, s. 9.