This bill provides that if the commissioner of safety or the governor has assigned a protection detail for purposes of protecting or escorting a person when required for security, threat assessments, or safety precautions for the protectee or general welfare of the public, then the following is authorized:
(1) Officers of the Tennessee highway patrol may utilize their agency's vehicles and emergency equipment for purposes of carrying out its duties under the assigned protection detail; and
(2) Officers of local law enforcement agencies may utilize their local law enforcement agency's vehicles and emergency equipment for purposes of assisting the Tennessee highway patrol in carrying out its duties under the assigned protection detail.
This bill places the following requirements on an operator of an emergency vehicle utilized in a protection detail as described above:
(1) The operator must annually take no less than two hours of training, including training in the operation of the vehicle in emergency and non-emergency situations; a review of all applicable laws pertaining to emergency vehicles; and training to respond to actions of nonemergency vehicles;
(2) The operator must take and pass a comprehensive examination every year pertaining to the training described in (1); and
(3) The operator must operate such vehicle while exercising the privileges set forth in the rules of the road for the operation of authorized emergency vehicles.