76-726. University police officers; powers and authority; jurisdiction; badge required, exception; rights, protections, immunities. (a) The chief executive officer of any state educational institution may employ university police officers to aid and supplement state and local law enforcement agencies. Such university police officers shall have the power and authority of law enforcement officers: (1) On property owned, occupied or operated by the state educational institution, by a board of trustees of the state educational institution, an endowment association, an affiliated corporation, an athletic association, a fraternity, sorority or other student group associated with the state educational institution or at the site of a function or academic program sponsored by the state education institution;

(2) on the streets, property and highways immediately adjacent to and coterminous with the property described in subsection (a)(1);

(3) within the city or county where such property as described in this subsection is located, as necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of students and faculty of the state educational institution or municipal university, with appropriate agreement by local law enforcement agencies. Such agreements shall include provisions, defining the geographical scope of the jurisdiction conferred, circumstances requiring the extended jurisdiction, scope of law enforcement powers and duration of the agreement. Any agreement entered into pursuant to this provision shall be approved by the governing body of the city or county, or both, having jurisdiction where such property is located, and the chief executive officer of the state educational institution or municipal university involved before such agreement may take effect;

(4) additionally when there is reason to believe that a violation of a state law, a county resolution, or a city ordinance has occurred on property described in paragraphs (1) or (2), such officers, with appropriate notification of, and coordination with, local law enforcement agencies, may investigate and arrest persons for such a violation anywhere within the city where such property, streets and highways are located. University police officers shall also have authority to transport persons in custody to an appropriate facility, wherever it may be located. University police officers at the university of Kansas medical center may provide emergency transportation of medical supplies and transplant organs; and

(5) additionally, pursuant to a written agreement between the university of Kansas hospital authority and the university of Kansas medical center, university police officers employed by the university of Kansas medical center may exercise their powers as law enforcement officers on property owned, occupied or operated by the university of Kansas healthcare system or university of Kansas hospital authority as authorized by this section and K.S.A. 22-2401a and 76-3314, and amendments thereto.

(b) In addition to enforcement of state law, county resolutions and city ordinances, university police officers shall enforce rules and regulations of the board of regents and rules and policies of the state educational institution, whether or not violation thereof constitutes a criminal offense. Every university police officer shall, while on duty, wear and publicly display a badge of office, except that no such badge shall be required to be worn by any plain clothes investigator or departmental administrator, but any such person shall present proper credentials and identification when required in the performance of such officer's duties. In performance of any of the powers, duties and functions authorized by this act or any other law, university police officers shall have the same rights, protections and immunities afforded to other law enforcement officers.

History: L. 1970, ch. 371, § 16; L. 1977, ch. 237, § 41; L. 1977, ch. 316, § 1; L. 1982, ch. 380, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 20, § 2; L. 2016, ch. 88, § 9; July 1.