§8-12-7. Power and authority to purchase insurance and to
indemnify officers, agents and employees.
(a) Every municipality shall have plenary power and authority
to contract and expend public funds for the purchase of one or more
policies of public liability insurance, with or without a sharing
in the cost thereof by the officers, agents and employees of such
municipality, providing the municipality and its officers, agents
and employees insurance coverage for legal liability of said
municipality and its officers, agents and employees for bodily
injury, personal injury or damage (including, but not limited to,
false arrest and false imprisonment) and property damage, and
affording said municipality and its officers, agents and employees
insurance coverage against any and all legal liability arising
from, growing out of, by reason of or in any way connected with,
any acts or omissions of said municipality, or its officers, agents
or employees in the performance of their official duties. So long
as the coverage aforesaid is obtained and remains in full force and
effect as to the police officers of a municipality, the bond
specified in section five, article seven, chapter sixty-one of this
code shall not be required as to such police officers.
(b) Every municipality shall also have plenary power and
authority to provide for the indemnification of its officers,
agents and employees against any and all liability, losses,
damages, expenses and costs, including court costs and reasonable
and necessary attorney fees, arising from, growing out of, by
reason of or in any way connected with any acts or omissions of
said officers, agents or employees in the performance of their official duties. Such indemnification may be provided by a self-
funding program, by expenditures from the general fund, or by the
purchase of insurance as provided in subsection (a) of this
section, with or without financial contribution or participation by
such officers, agents and employees. Prior to the expenditure of
any public funds pursuant to the power and authority conferred by
the provisions of this subsection (b), the governing body shall
determine by ordinance applicable to an entire class or classes of
officers, agents or employees the manner in which such power and
authority shall be exercised.