(310 ILCS 10/8.1a) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 8.1a)
Sec. 8.1a. Police powers.
(a) A Housing Authority in any municipality having over 500,000
inhabitants has power to police its property and to exercise police powers
for the protection of the persons and property of its residents, employees
and visitors, for the enforcement of any rule or regulation adopted by the
Authority, and in furtherance of the purposes for which such Authority was
organized.
In particular, and subject to amounts appropriated
for that purpose, the Housing Authority in exercising its police powers shall
strive to eliminate or reduce the
following activities within the property or facilities
of the Authority: streetgang-related activities (as defined in the Illinois
Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act), illegal activities involving
controlled substances (as defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act),
illegal activities involving cannabis (as defined in the Cannabis Control Act), illegal activities involving methamphetamine (as defined in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act),
and
illegal activities involving firearms.
Such Authority has power to establish, appoint and support a
police force for such purposes.
(b) A Housing Authority in a municipality having 500,000 or fewer
inhabitants may establish, appoint, and support a police force to police the
Authority's property, to protect the persons and property of the Authority's
residents, employees, and visitors, to enforce the Authority's adopted rules
and regulations, and to otherwise further the purposes for which the Authority
was organized. A police force may be established under this subsection only
with the approval of the mayor or president of the municipality and only if, in
the opinion of the Authority and the mayor or president, the severity of
streetgang-related activities (as defined in the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism
Omnibus Prevention Act), illegal activities involving controlled substances (as
defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act), illegal activities
involving cannabis (as defined in the Cannabis Control Act), illegal activities involving methamphetamine (as defined in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act), or illegal
activities
involving firearms makes the establishment of a police force desirable.
(c) Members of a Housing Authority police force shall be
conservators of the peace and shall have all powers possessed by the police
of cities, and sheriffs, including the power to make arrests for violations
of federal and state statutes, city and county ordinances, and rules and
regulations of the Authority and governing federal agencies; provided, that
they may exercise such powers only within the
property or facilities of such Authority, and only (i) when such
exercise is appropriate for the protection of Authority properties and
interests, or its residents, employees and visitors, or (ii)
otherwise,
within the municipality in which the Authority operates, when specifically
requested by appropriate
federal, state and local law enforcement officials.
Unless expressly limited by the Authority, when outside the property or
facilities of the Authority, the members of the police force shall have the
same powers as those conferred on the police of organized cities and
villages when acting outside of the territorial limits of their city or
village. "Property or facilities of the Authority" means property owned or
leased by the Authority and property over which the Authority has easement
rights.
The Authority shall
establish minimum standards for selection and training of members of such
police force, provided that the members of such police force
shall be
certified and trained under the provisions of the Illinois Police Training
Act, as now or hereafter amended. The members of such police
force may serve and execute civil process. The establishment
of such a police force shall not affect the power of the Authority to use
or employ other security personnel as permitted by law. Neither the
Authority, the members of its Board nor its officers or employees shall be
held liable for failure to provide a security or police force or, if a
security or police force is provided, for failure to provide adequate
police protection or security, failure to prevent the commission of crimes
or failure to apprehend criminals.
(Source: P.A. 94-556, eff. 9-11-05.)
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