Opinion No. (1997)

DANIEL E. LUNGREN Attorney General ANTHONY M. SUMMERS Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE BRUCE THOMPSON, MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY, has requested an opinion on the following questions: 1. May Federal Protective Service officers who have been appropriately trained take law enforcement actions to enforce state or local laws while away from federal property with respect to (a) state offenses committed in their presence that pose a serious threat to persons and property, (b) assistance to state and local law enforcement officers upon request, (c) the arrest of persons and the search of property in obedience to a lawful warrant, and (d) offenses committed in their presence that do not pose a threat to persons or property but an immediate response is necessary to prevent escape? 2. If so, may the officers, while in uniform, use marked police vehicles and other emergency equipment to enforce state or local laws? 3. May the powers of arrest granted to Federal Protection Service officers to enforce state or local laws be exercised while the officers are off duty? 4. May the exercise of state powers of arrest by Federal Protective Service officers subject the officers to civil…