Existing law defines “police officer” to include various law enforcement officers of this State for the purposes of certain provisions relating to eligibility for benefits under the Nevada Occupational Diseases Act. (NRS 617.135) Among the law enforcement officers included in the definition of “police officer” are certain specified employees of the Department of Public Safety. (NRS 617.135) Existing law authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety to authorize: (1) the Department to use certain designations to identify itself; and (2) the divisions of the Department and the officers and employees of the Department to use certain designations to identify themselves. (NRS 480.150) This bill provides that the use of such a designation does not exclude from the definition of “police officer” any person employed by the Department of Public Safety who is included in the definition of “police officer” under existing law. This bill also expands the definition of “police officer” to include: (1) a school police officer employed or appointed by the board of trustees of a school district; (2) a juvenile probation officer; (3) a bailiff or deputy marshal of a municipal court; (4) a marshal or deputy marshal of a city or town; and (5) all category I peace officers. Furthermore, because various other provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes reference “police officer” as that term is defined in the Act, this bill makes applicable to all category I peace officers, school police officers employed or appointed by the board of trustees of a school district, juvenile probation officers, bailiffs and deputy marshals of municipal courts and marshals and deputy marshals of cities or towns: (1) industrial insurance coverage for police officers; (2) exemption from service as grand or trial jurors; (3) compensation for police officers with temporary disabilities; and (4) eligibility for certain programs of group insurance or other medical or hospital service for the surviving spouse or any surviving child of a police officer or firefighter. (NRS 6.020, 281.153, 287.021, 287.0477; chapters 616A-616D of NRS)

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 617.135
Reprint 1: 617.135
Reprint 2: 617.135
BDR: 617.135