Certified law enforcement officers of the Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and security personnel employed by or under contract with the Department of Public Safety are authorized and empowered to deny the entrance of any person into or upon any property or building of the Georgia Building Authority or the state when the person's activities are intended to disrupt or interfere with the normal activities and functions carried on in such property or building or have the potential of violating the security of the personnel therein. Certified officers of the Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and security personnel employed by or under contract with the Department of Public Safety are authorized and empowered to deny entrance into or upon any such property or building of any person displaying any sign, banner, placard, poster, or similar device. Certified officers of the Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and security personnel employed by or under contract with the Department of Public Safety are authorized and empowered to remove any person from any such property or building when the person's activities interfere with or disrupt the activities and the operations carried on in such property or building or constitute a safety hazard to the property or building or the inhabitants thereof. The authority and power provided in this Code section and Code Section 50-16-15 shall also extend to any property or building utilized by the state or any agency thereof. Any law enforcement officer assisting the certified officers of the Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or the security personnel employed by or under contract with the Department of Public Safety shall have the same authority and power as provided by this Code section and Code Section 50-16-15.
(Ga. L. 1976, p. 471, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 850, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 137, § 5/HB 1074.)
Cross references.- Employment of nonuniformed investigators to protect state property, § 35-1-6.
Authority of Georgia Building Authority to employ security guards, § 50-9-9.
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Arrests on state property.
- Within the limits of their respective territorial or statutory jurisdiction, local law enforcement authorities may arrest offenders upon state property for violations of state laws including property under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Building Authority Police. 1992 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 92-6.
RESEARCH REFERENCES
Am. Jur. 2d.
- 16A Am. Jur. 2d, Constitutional Law, §§ 556, 560, 562, 571, 572.
C.J.S.- 16A C.J.S., Constitutional Law, §§ 378, 379. 81A C.J.S., States, § 261.