TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS; TO ALLOW A MEMBER OF A MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENT BOMB SQUAD TO MAKE ARRESTS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

HB 1648 proposed to amend Arkansas law to grant arrest authority to qualified members of municipal fire department bomb squads. This authority would allow them to make arrests for explosives-related incidents or offenses, or when assisting a law enforcement agency. To be eligible, a bomb squad member would need to complete a specific law enforcement officer training course approved by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The bill also sought to include these qualified bomb squad members in the definition of "certified law enforcement officer."