110.07 Traffic officers; powers and duties.

(1)

(a) The secretary shall employ not more than 399 traffic officers. The state traffic patrol consists of the traffic officers, the person designated to head them whose position shall be in the classified service and, if certified under s. 165.85 (4) (a) 1. as qualified to be a law enforcement officer, the division administrator who is counted under s. 230.08 (2) (e) 12. and whose duties include supervising the state traffic patrol. The division administrator may not be counted under this paragraph. Members of the state traffic patrol shall:

1. Enforce and assist in the administration of this chapter and chs. 194, 218, 341 to 349 and 351, and ss. 23.33, 23.335, 125.07 (4) (b), 125.085 (3) (b), 167.31 (2) (b) to (d) and 287.81 and ch. 350 where applicable to highways, or orders or rules issued pursuant thereto.

2. Have the powers of sheriff in enforcing the laws specified in subd. 1. and orders or rules issued pursuant thereto.

3. Have authority to enter any place where vehicles subject to this chapter, ss. 167.31 (2) (b) to (d) and 287.81 and chs. 194, 218 and 341 to 350 are stored or parked at any time to examine such vehicles, or to stop such vehicles while en route at any time upon the public highways to examine the same and make arrests for all violations thereof.

(b) All municipal judges, judges, district attorneys and law enforcement officers shall assist in enforcing this chapter, ss. 167.31 (2) (b) to (d) and 287.81 and chs. 194, 218 and 341 to 351, and orders or rules issued pursuant thereto and shall report to the department the disposition of every uniform traffic citation issued for cases involving those chapters.

(2) The traffic officers employed pursuant to this section shall constitute a state traffic patrol to assist local enforcement officers wherever possible in the regulation of traffic and the prevention of accidents upon the public highways.

(2m) In addition to the primary powers granted by subs. (1) and (2), any officer of the state traffic patrol shall have the powers of a peace officer under s. 59.28, except that the officer shall have the arrest powers of a law enforcement officer under s. 968.07, regardless of whether the violation is punishable by forfeiture or criminal penalty. A state traffic officer shall at all times be available as a witness for the state but may not conduct investigations for crimes under chs. 939 to 948 other than crimes relating to the use or operation of vehicles. The primary duty of a state traffic officer shall be the enforcement of chs. 340 to 351 or of any other law relating to the use or operation of vehicles upon the highway. No state traffic officer shall be used in or take part in any dispute or controversy between employer or employee concerning wages, hours, labor or working conditions; nor shall any such officer be required to serve civil process. The department may assign state traffic officers to safeguard state officers or other persons.

(3) The secretary may employ inspectors who may not wear the uniform of the state patrol, whose duties shall be to enforce and assist in administering ss. 23.33, 23.335, and 346.63, this chapter and chs. 194, 218, 340 to 345 and 347 to 351, the inspection requirements of s. 121.555 (2) (b) and the requirements under s. 346.45 (4) for vehicles being used to transport hazardous materials. Such inspectors, in the performance of these duties, shall have the powers and authority of state traffic officers. For the purpose of death, disability and retirement coverage, such inspectors shall be subject to ch. 40 as is the state traffic patrol. Subject to sub. (5), the secretary may clothe and equip inspectors as the interest of public safety and their duties require.

(4) In addition to the primary powers granted by sub. (3), any inspector shall have the powers of a peace officer under s. 59.28, except that the inspector shall have the arrest powers of a law enforcement officer under s. 968.07, regardless of whether the violation is punishable by forfeiture or criminal penalty. An inspector shall at all times be available as a witness for the state but may not conduct investigations for crimes under chs. 939 to 948 other than crimes relating to the use or operation of vehicles. The primary duty of an inspector shall be the enforcement of the provisions specified in sub. (3). No inspector may be used in or take part in any dispute or controversy between employer or employee concerning wages, hours, labor or working conditions; nor may an inspector be required to serve civil process. The department may assign inspectors to safeguard state officers or other persons.

(5)

(a) In this subsection, “bulletproof garment" means a vest or other garment designed, redesigned, or adapted to prevent bullets from penetrating through the garment.

(b) Upon request of an officer of the state traffic patrol under sub. (1) or inspector under sub. (3), the department shall make available to the traffic officer or inspector a bulletproof garment that may be used in the performance of his or her duties under this section. The department shall equip a traffic officer or inspector with a bulletproof garment as soon as practicable after receipt of the request from the traffic officer or inspector under this paragraph.

(6) The division administrator who is counted under s. 230.08 (2) (e) 12. and whose duties include supervising the state traffic patrol shall be designated superintendent of the state traffic patrol, if he or she is certified under s. 165.85 (4) (a) 1. as qualified to be a law enforcement officer.

History: 1971 c. 40, 125; 1973 c. 90, 146; 1975 c. 297; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1048, 1654 (7) (a), (c), 1656 (43); 1977 c. 305 s. 64; 1977 c. 418; 1979 c. 221; 1979 c. 333 s. 5; 1979 c. 361 s. 113; 1981 c. 96 s. 67; 1981 c. 390; 1983 a. 27; 1983 a. 175 s. 33; 1983 a. 191 s. 6; 1985 a. 29, 36, 63, 332; 1987 a. 332 s. 64; 1989 a. 31, 167, 170, 240, 335, 359; 1993 a. 25; 1995 a. 201, 227, 341; 1999 a. 9, 85; 2001 a. 68, 109; 2009 a. 42; 2013 a. 214; 2015 a. 170.

While it is clear that ss. 110.07 and 110.075 authorize the traffic officers of the state patrol and DOT to make stops and inspections and perhaps arrests for equipment violations, nothing in these statutes limits local law enforcements officers' powers to do so. A city police officer is a traffic officer under s. 340.01 (70), and because s. 110.075 provides that any traffic officer can stop and inspect vehicles for violations of ch. 110 or rules issued pursuant to ch. 110, and because s. 349.02 (2) permits a police officer to enforce a city ordinance violation upon a reasonable basis to believe a violation has occurred, a city officer had authority to make a stop for violation of an ordinance adopting a safety rule. State v. Bailey, 2009 WI App 140, 321 Wis. 2d 350, 773 N.W.2d 488, 08-3153.