Court Opinion

ID: 9560012
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:40:49.553747+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:11:58.868145
License: Public Domain

Chandler, Justice:
Appellant (Harris) was convicted of distributing cocaine. We affirm.
On January 16,1988, North Myrtle Beach narcotics agents Wade and Gallant met with two informants, one of whom they equipped with an electronic transmitter. The informants then drove to Atlantic Beach to purchase cocaine from Harris, a suspected dealer in drugs. As Officer Wade monitored their conversations, the informants located Harris at an Atlantic Beach motel. They then drove her to a location where she obtained cocaine which she, in turn, sold to the informants.
The informants returned to North Myrtle Beach with the drugs. At Officer Wade’s request, they returned to Atlantic Beach and persuaded Harris to accompany them to North Myrtle Beach. Meanwhile, Officer Wade obtained a warrant and arrested Harris upon her arrival in North Myrtle Beach.
At trial, Harris moved to dismiss the drug charge, arguing that the North Myrtle Beach police officers lacked authority to conduct an undercover operation in Atlantic Beach. Specifically, she contended the officers failed to comply with S. C. Code Ann. § 5-7-120 (Supp. 1988), which provides that “[t]he governing body of any municipality may upon the request of the governing body of any other political subdivision of the State, send any law enforcement officers to such requesting political subdivision in cases of emergency.” Upon the parties’ stipulation that the officers had operated with the oral consent of the Atlantic Beach Chief of Police, the trial judge denied the motion.
ISSUE
The sole question here is whether the undercover operation conducted by the North Myrtle Beach police officers was lawful.
*159DISCUSSION
Harris contends that, since the requirements of the statute were not satisfied, the officers were without authority to conduct the undercover operation, mandating a reversal of her conviction.
We agree that § 5-7-120 was not complied with, in that no request was made by the governing body of the Town of Atlantic Beach, nor was this an emergency situation. However, the officers’ actions were proper, apart from the statute.
The jurisdiction of a municipal police officer, absent statutory authority, generally does not extend beyond the territorial limits of the municipality.1 62 C. J. S. Municipal Corporations § 574, p. 1108 (1949 & Supp. 1988). This does not, however, affect an officer’s right to act as a private citizen beyond his jurisdiction. In such case, his actions are lawful if they could be properly undertaken by an ordinary citizen. See, e.g., People v. O’Connor, 167 Ill. App. (3d) 42, 117 Ill. Dec. 730, 520 N. E. (2d) 1081 (1988) [surveillance]; People v. Meyer, 424 Mich. 143, 379 N. W. (2d) 59 (1985) [undercover drug buy]; Guthrie v. State, 668 P. (2d) 1147 (Okla. Crim. App. 1983) [information gathering]; Meadows v. State, 655 P. (2d) 556 (Okla. Crim. App. 1982) [undercover drug buy].
Here, the officers’ only activity outside North Myrtle Beach was the monitoring of conversations between the informants and Harris, which could have been done by private citizens. The fact that they planned the drug buy operation while in North Myrtle Beach does not affect the validity of their actions. See People v. Meyer, supra; Meadows v. State, supra2
*160Accordingly, we hold that the undercover operation was lawful.
Affirmed.
Gregory, C. J., and Harwell, J., concur.
Finney and Toal, JJ., dissent in separate opinion.

 In addition to § 5-7-120, statutory exceptions to the general rule are found in: S. C. Code Ann. § 5-7-110 (1976) [contracting for police protection beyond the corporate limits]; S. C. Code Ann. § 17-13-40 (1985) [police in pursuit arresting within three mile radius of municipality]; S. C. Code Ann. § 23-1-215 (1989) [criminal investigation in other county or municipality by agreement of law enforcement agencies involved].

 In Meyer, a municipal police officer telephoned the defendant to arrange a purchase of drugs, then made an undercover buy at the defendant’s apartment in another city. The Michigan Supreme Court reversed the dismissal of drug charges against the defendant, notwithstanding the officer’s violation of a statute comparable to § 5-7-120.
*160In Meadows, an undercover narcotics officer established a drug contact, then drove with him to another city where they purchased drugs from the defendant. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the defendant’s conviction, upholding the officer’s authority as a private citizen.