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A.(1)  In the event of an emergency or a special event and upon the request of another police department or sheriff’s office, by the chief of police, the sheriff, or their designees of that department on duty at the time of the emergency or special event, a political subdivision, city marshal, and city constable may furnish police manpower and equipment if the chief of police, the sheriff, or their designees on duty, of the police department or sheriff’s office receiving the request for aid is of the opinion that such police manpower and equipment are available.

(2)  If the responding agency agrees to provide mutual aid, the personnel of the responding agency shall report to and shall work under the direction and supervision of the senior officer of the requesting agency on duty at the time that the request for aid is made. During the emergency or special event the personnel of the responding agency shall have the same law enforcement authority as the personnel of the requesting agency.  Police manpower and equipment may be recalled at the sole discretion of the highest ranking officer on duty of the responding agency furnishing police manpower and equipment.  During the emergency, the responding agency shall be considered the agent of the requesting agency.

(3)(a)  “Emergency” means an actual or potential condition that poses an immediate threat to life or property and exceeds the capability of the requesting agency to counteract successfully.

(b)  “Special event” means an actual or potential situation that poses or may pose a threat to life or property because of the number of people involved and exceeds the capability of the requesting agency to counteract successfully.

B.  In situations where mutual aid is utilized, radio communications shall be established, if possible, through the radio systems patch, or one of the officers shall maintain personal eye to eye contact with an officer of the other agency and pass information between agencies.

C.  The provision of mutual aid shall not give rise to liability or responsibility for failure to respond to a request for assistance.

D.  Nothing contained in this Section shall be construed to limit the responding agency’s authority to apply for, administer, and expend any grants, gifts, or payments in aid of homeland security, disaster prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery.

Acts 1997, No. 1178, §1; Acts 2006, No. 539, §1; Acts 2012, No. 343, §1.