NRS171.1223. Peace officer with limited jurisdiction must notify primary law enforcement agency of commission of certain felonies; transfer of investigation to primary law enforcement agency.

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, in a county whose population is 100,000 or more, a peace officer with limited jurisdiction who witnesses a category A felony being committed or attempted in the officer’s presence, or has reasonable cause for believing a person has committed or attempted to commit a category A felony in an area that is within the officer’s jurisdiction, shall immediately notify the primary law enforcement agency in the city or county, as appropriate, where the offense or attempted offense was committed.

      2.  Upon arrival of an officer from the primary law enforcement agency notified pursuant to subsection 1, a peace officer with limited jurisdiction shall immediately transfer the investigation of the offense or attempted offense to the primary law enforcement agency.

      3.  The provisions of subsection 1 do not:

      (a) Apply to an offense or attempted offense that is a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony other than a category A felony;

      (b) Apply to an officer of the Nevada Highway Patrol, a member of the police department of the Nevada System of Higher Education, an agent of the Investigation Division of the Department of Public Safety or a ranger of the Division of State Parks of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources;

      (c) Apply to a peace officer with limited jurisdiction if an interlocal agreement between the officer’s employer and the primary law enforcement agency in the city or county in which a category A felony was committed or attempted authorizes the peace officer with limited jurisdiction to respond to and investigate the felony without immediately notifying the primary law enforcement agency; or

      (d) Prohibit a peace officer with limited jurisdiction from:

             (1) Contacting a primary law enforcement agency for assistance with an offense that is a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony that is not a category A felony; or

             (2) Responding to a category A felony until the appropriate primary law enforcement agency arrives at the location where the felony was allegedly committed or attempted, including, without limitation, taking any appropriate action to provide assistance to a victim of the felony, to apprehend the person suspected of committing or attempting to commit the felony, to secure the location where the felony was allegedly committed or attempted and to protect the life and safety of the peace officer and any other person present at that location.

      4.  As used in this section:

      (a) “Peace officer with limited jurisdiction” means:

             (1) A school police officer who is appointed or employed pursuant to subsection 8 of NRS 391.100;

             (2) An airport guard or police officer who is appointed pursuant to NRS 496.130;

             (3) A person employed to provide police services for an airport authority created by a special act of the Legislature; and

             (4) A marshal or park ranger who is part of a unit of specialized law enforcement established pursuant to NRS 280.125.

      (b) “Primary law enforcement agency” means:

             (1) A police department of an incorporated city;

             (2) The sheriff’s office of a county; or

             (3) If the county is within the jurisdiction of a metropolitan police department, the metropolitan police department.

      (Added to NRS by 2001, 1868; 2003, 102)