§ 74G-2. Policy and scope.
§ 74G‑2. Policy andscope.
(a) The purpose of thisChapter is to protect the safety and welfare of students, faculty, and staff ininstitutions of higher education by fostering integrity, proficiency, andcompetence among campus police agencies and campus police officers. To achievethis purpose, the General Assembly finds that a Campus Police Program needs tobe established. As part of the Campus Police Program, the Attorney General isgiven the authority to certify a private, nonprofit institution of highereducation, other than those described by G.S. 116‑15(d), as a campuspolice agency and to commission an individual as a campus police officer.
(b) The purpose of thisChapter is also to assure, to the extent consistent with the State and federalconstitutions, that this protection is not denied to students, faculty, andstaff at private, nonprofit institutions of higher education originallyestablished by or affiliated with religious denominations. To achieve thispurpose, the General Assembly finds that:
(1) Most of the State'sprivate, nonprofit institutions of higher education were originally establishedby or affiliated with religious denominations;
(2) These institutionshave made and continue to make significant contributions in education to the Stateand the nation;
(3) These institutionsadmit students regardless of their spiritual or religious beliefs;
(4) These institutions'principal mission is educational;
(5) All of theseinstitutions are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the SouthernAssociation of Colleges and Schools and as such have independent governingboards of trustees;
(6) The principal Statepower conferred on campus police by this Chapter is the power of arrest;
(7) This power isimportant to protect the safety and welfare of students, faculty, and staff atthese institutions;
(8) In exercising thepower of arrest, these officers apply standards established by State andfederal law only; and
(9) The exercise of thispower is reviewable by the General Court of Justice and the federal courts.
(c) Public educationalinstitutions operating under the authority of the Board of Governors of TheUniversity of North Carolina or the State Board of Community Colleges andprivate educational institutions that are licensed by the Board of Governors ofThe University of North Carolina pursuant to G.S. 116‑15 or that areexempt from licensure by the Board of Governors pursuant to G.S. 116‑15(c)may apply to the Attorney General to be certified as a campus police agency. Acampus police agency may apply to the Attorney General to commission anindividual designated by the agency to act as a campus police officer for theagency. (2005‑231,s. 1.)