Technical Bulletins: The Police Bill of Rights: Not for Everyone

In 1989, the state legislature passed an Act affecting the manner in which certain police officers are disciplined. The Act, Chapter 398 of the 1989 General Assembly, known as the Police Bill of Rights, requires that, effective January 1, 1990, questioning of any police officers on matters that are likely to lead to the discipline of officers for punitive reasons, take place at a reasonable time and place designated by the investigating official. Of extreme significance is the fact that the act applies only to municipalities that already provide a property interest in employment and have no other established grievance or disciplinary procedures for dealing with the disciplining of officers. Additionally, the act does not apply to the disciplining of Chiefs of Police.

The MTAS publications provided on this website are archival documents intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as authoritative. The content contained in these publications may be outdated, and the laws referenced therein may have changed or may not be applicable to your city or circumstances. For current information, please visit the MTAS website at: http://mtas.tennessee.edu