Sec. 29-8a. Indemnification of state police, State Capitol police and certain special police in civil rights actions. Fees and costs.

(a) The state shall protect and save harmless any state policeman from financial loss and expense, including legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand, suit or judgment by reason of the alleged deprivation by such state policeman of any person's civil rights, which deprivation was not wanton, reckless or malicious, provided such state policeman, at the time of the acts resulting in such alleged deprivation, was acting in the discharge of his duties or within the scope of his employment or under the direction of a superior officer.

(b) Legal fees and costs incurred as a result of the retention, by any state policeman, of an attorney to represent his interests in any action referred to in subsection (a) of this section shall be borne by the state only in those cases in which (1) such state policeman is ultimately found not to have acted in a wanton, reckless or malicious manner or (2) no punitive damages are ultimately assessed against such state policeman.

(c) As used in this section, state policeman includes a member of the Office of State Capitol Police or any person appointed under section 29-18 as a special policeman for the State Capitol building and grounds, the Legislative Office Building and parking garage and related structures and facilities, and other areas under the supervision and control of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management.

(P.A. 73-617, S. 1; P.A. 80-33, S. 1, 3; P.A. 81-450, S. 1; P.A. 84-48, S. 15, 17; P.A. 89-82, S. 9, 11; P.A. 96-219, S. 8.)

History: P.A. 80-33 added Subsec. (c) to specify that provisions are applicable to capitol security officers and special policemen for state capitol building and grounds; P.A. 81-450 deleted provision in Subsec. (b) allowing state's payment of policeman's legal fees and costs when attorney general has recommended that policeman obtain attorney's services in cases where attorney general is of the opinion that state's interests differ from those of policeman and added provision whereby state pays for legal costs if no punitive damages are assessed against policeman; P.A. 84-48 inserted reference to special policemen for other areas under the supervision and control of the joint committee on legislative management; P.A. 89-82 expanded reference in Subsec. (c) to state capitol building and grounds to include legislative office building and parking garage and related structures and facilities; P.A. 96-219 amended Subsec. (c) by changing the name of the “Office of Capitol Security” to the “Office of State Capitol Police”.