§ 5-2-1-2 — Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, and unless the
context clearly denotes otherwise, the following definitions apply
throughout this chapter:
(1) "Law enforcement officer" means an appointed officer or
employee hired by and on the payroll of the state, any of the
state's political subdivisions, a hospital police department (as
described in IC 16-18-4), a tribal police officer (as described in IC 5-2-24), or a public or private postsecondary educational
institution whose board of trustees has established a police
department under IC 21-17-5-2 or IC 21-39-4-2 who is granted
lawful authority to enforce all or some of the penal laws of the
state of Indiana and who possesses, with respect to those laws, the
power to effect arrests for offenses committed in the officer's or
employee's presence. However, except as otherwise provided in
this chapter, the following are expressly excluded from the term
"law enforcement officer" for the purposes of this chapter:
(A) A constable.
(B) A special officer whose powers and duties are described in
IC 36-8-3-7 or a special deputy whose powers and duties are
described in IC 36-8-10-10.6. However, a special officer
employed by a consolidated city full time after June 30, 2023,
to perform park ranger duties is a law enforcement officer for
the purposes of this chapter.
(C) A county police reserve officer who receives compensation
for lake patrol duties under IC 36-8-3-20(f)(3).
(D) A conservation reserve officer who receives compensation
for lake patrol duties under IC 14-9-8-27.
(E) An employee of the gaming commission whose powers and
duties are described in IC 4-32.3-9.
(F) A correctional police officer described in IC 11-8-9.
For purposes of section 12.5 of this chapter, the term includes a
police reserve officer (as described in IC 36-8-3-20), even if the
police reserve officer works as a volunteer.
(2) "Board" means the law enforcement training board created by
this chapter.
(3) "Executive training program" means the police chief executive
training program developed by the board under section 9 of this
chapter.
(4) "Law enforcement training council" means one (1) of the
confederations of law enforcement agencies recognized by the
board and organized for the sole purpose of sharing training,
instructors, and related resources.
(5) "Training regarding the lawful use of force" includes
classroom and skills training in the proper application of hand to
hand defensive tactics, use of firearms, and other methods of:
(A) overcoming unlawful resistance; or
(B) countering other action that threatens the safety of the
public or a law enforcement officer.
(6) "Hiring or appointing authority" means:
(A) the chief executive officer, board, or other entity of a police
department or agency with authority to appoint and hire law
enforcement officers; or
(B) the governor, mayor, board, or other entity with the
authority to appoint a chief executive officer of a police
department or agency.
(7) "Crisis intervention team" refers to a local coalition with a
goal of improving the manner in which law enforcement and the
community respond to crisis situations in which an individual is
experiencing a mental health or addictive disorder crisis.
(8) "Law enforcement agency" means a state agency, a political
subdivision, a hospital police department (as described in IC 16-18-4), a tribal law enforcement agency (as described in IC 5-2-24), or a public or private postsecondary educational
institution that employs and has on its payroll a law enforcement
officer, including individuals described in subdivision (1)(A)
through (1)(F).
Formerly: Acts 1967, c.209, s.2. As amended by P.L.25-1986,
SEC.2; P.L.57-1995, SEC.1; P.L.2-1997, SEC.15; P.L.52-2005, SEC.2;
P.L.91-2006, SEC.7; P.L.2-2007, SEC.71; P.L.77-2009, SEC.1;
P.L.197-2011, SEC.26; P.L.115-2015, SEC.1; P.L.180-2017, SEC.1;
P.L.58-2019, SEC.21; P.L.12-2021, SEC.1; P.L.64-2022, SEC.1;
P.L.173-2023, SEC.1.