The issue presented by this workmen’s compensation case is whether injuries received by a uniformed Manchester policeman while arresting a person for drunkenness during thе policeman’s off-duty job at a private restaurant called Mrs. Bea’s arose out of and in the course of his employment with the city.
The labor commissioner ruled thаt Francis Huard, a regular Manchester police officer, was entitled to workmеn’s compensation benefits from the city of Manchester. The city appealed and received a hearing de novo before the superior court. RSA 281:3V I (Supp. 1972). The trial court found for Huard and in a subsequent hearing denied the city’s motion to set asidе the verdict. All exceptions were reserved and transferred by Perkins, J.
Officer Huard, a regular Manchester policeman, volunteered to fill in for another officer on an off-duty assignment as a guard at Mrs. Bea’s restaurant on March 20, 1971. The restaurant cook instructed him on the area he was to guard. While performing this function, the officer arrestеd a restaurant patron for drunkeness, whereupon six other patrons assaulted and seriously injured him. Officers performing extra duty of this nature wear their full uniform and equipment as did Offiсer Huard, except that he did not have his walkie-talkie radio because of а shortage of them.
Assaults caused by or resulting from working conditions or the conditions and obligations of employment are compensable under the statutory language “arising out of and in the course of employment.” RSA 281:2 V (Supp. 1972); Newell v. Moreau,
The issue is whether the officer was аn employee of the city at the time of the injury under the then applicable stаtu
The city argues that when the officer took the special employment with Mrs. Bea’s, he became an employee solely of this new special emplоyer. The officer contends that the peace-preserving nature of his employment with Mrs. Bea’s still constituted part of his general employment with the city. Huard was an еmployee of the city for the purposes of workmen’s compensation liability if (1) there was a contract for hire with the city, (2) the work he was doing was of the nature he was employed to do for the city, and (3) the city had a right to control the details оf the work. 1A Larson, The Law of Workmen’s Compensation § 48.00 (1967).
In this case, there is no question but that Huard was a regular police officer hired by the city. In making an arrest, he was pеrforming the functions and duties of a police officer. Mathurin v. Putnam,
Thе fact that the officer was paid by Mrs. Bea’s and was instructed on the area to guard does not preclude Huard from being an employee of the city. In carrying out thе special assignment Huard was still governed by police regulations and the evidenсe shows that police superiors checked on off-duty officers and disciplinеd them for poor performance. It appears that the procedurеs used in making the arrest in this case conformed to those used by officers on regular duty rаther than those followed by private guards. The evidence warrants a finding that the detаils of Huard’s work at Mrs. Bea’s were under the supervision and direction of
The finding of the trial court must stand since it could be reasonably made from the evidence. Walter v. Hagianis,
Exceptions overruled.
