Sec. 179.
(1) No civilian person, except the governor, may command personnel of the state military establishment.
(2) If any portion of the organized militia is called into active service, special duty, active state service, or the service of the United States to execute the laws, engage in emergency or disaster relief or other support operations pursuant to the emergency management act, 1976 PA 390, MCL 30.401 to 30.421, or suppress or prevent actual or threatened riot or insurrection, repel invasion, respond to acts or threats of terrorism, safeguard military or other vital resources of this state or of the United States, or to assist in the enforcement of a law prohibiting the importation, sale, delivery, possession, or use of a controlled substance, a commanding officer shall use his or her own judgment in apprehending or dispersing a sniper, a rioter, a mob, or an unlawful assembly. In situations described in this subsection, the commanding officer may apprehend a person on a state military base, armory base, air base, or a vital resource of this state or of the United States if the commanding officer has reasonable cause to believe the person has committed a felony or a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for more than 92 days on that state military base, armory base, air base, or a vital resource of this state or of the United States. In situations described in this subsection, the commanding officer or an individual under his or her command may apprehend a person on a state military base, armory base, air base, or a vital resource of this state or of the United States if the person commits a crime in the presence of the commanding officer or an individual under his or her command on that state military base, armory base, air base, or a vital resource of this state or of the United States. That commanding officer shall determine the amount and kind of force to be used in preserving the peace and carrying out the orders of the governor. Except as provided in subsection (3), that commanding officer's honest and reasonable judgment under the circumstances then existing, in the exercise of his or her duty, is full protection, civilly and criminally, for an act done in the line of duty, and a member of the organized militia in active service, special duty, active state service, or the service of the United States is not liable civilly or criminally for an act committed by him or her in the performance of his or her duty.
(3) A member of the organized militia in active service, special duty, active state service, or the service of the United States has the immunity of a peace officer in this state if 1 or more of the following apply:
(a) The member is acting in aid of civil authorities and acting in the line of duty.
(b) The member is assisting in the enforcement of a law prohibiting the importation, sale, delivery, possession, or use of a controlled substance and acting in the line of duty.
(c) The member has been ordered by the governor to respond to acts or threats of terrorism or to safeguard military or other vital resources of this state or of the United States and is acting in the line of duty.
(4) The attorney general of this state shall defend a civil action or criminal prosecution brought in a state or federal court, against a member of the organized militia or his or her estate, arising from an act or omission alleged to have been committed while in active service, special duty, active state service, or the service of the United States.
History: 1967, Act 150, Imd. Eff. June 30, 1967 ;-- Am. 1968, Act 241, Imd. Eff. June 26, 1968 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 212, Imd. Eff. July 1, 1998 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 133, Eff. May 1, 2002 ;-- Am. 2013, Act 99, Imd. Eff. July 2, 2013
Last modified: October 10, 2016