§ 4-7-110 — Retired commission card - Retention of service weapon and badge by retired members

(a) Any commissioned member of the department of safety, who performs honorably and retires from the department in good standing, as determined solely by the commissioner, shall be issued by the department a retired commission card, which shall identify the member, the member's department and rank, and the fact that the member is retired. The card shall bear the inscription, in print of equal or larger size than the rest of the printing on the card, the words "Not a handgun permit." (b) (1) A commissioned member, who is issued a retired commission card pursuant to subsection (a), may retain the member's service weapon and badge in recognition of the member's years of good and faithful service; provided, that the member retires: (A) After twenty-five (25) or more years of service; (B) After twenty (20) or more years of service, as a result of disability; or (C) Upon attaining the mandatory retirement age imposed in title 8, chapter 36. (2) A commissioned member, who is issued a retired commission card pursuant to subsection (a) but who is not included within subdivision (b)(1), may retain the member's service weapon and badge in recognition of the member's years of good and faithful service; provided, that the member reimburses the department for the cost of the service weapon and badge. (3) Nothing in this subsection (b) shall be construed to require the department to purchase additional service weapons. (c) Each badge retained pursuant to subsection (b) shall be permanently marked to indicate the retired status of the commissioned member. (d) (1) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, if a commissioned member of the department of safety dies or is killed in the line of duty, the department shall be authorized to present the member's service weapon to the member's surviving spouse or children, or, if the member had no spouse or children, to the member's parents. (2) If the surviving child or children are under twenty-one (21) years of age, the service weapon shall be given into the custody of the child's legal guardian to be held until the child or eldest surviving child attains twenty-one (21) years of age. (3) If the surviving spouse, child or children, surviving parents or legal guardian of such person is not eligible to possess a firearm under federal or state law, the department shall not present the service weapon to them.

Legislative History

Acts 1974, ch. 710, § 1; 1976, ch. 718, § 1; T.C.A., § 4-714; Acts 1982, ch. 657, § 1; 1987, ch. 88, § 2; 1996, ch. 675, § 2; 2009, ch. 147, § 1; 2010, ch. 753, § 1; 2011, ch. 444, § 1; 2012, ch. 903, § 1.