§ 9-10. Arson investigation division.

(a)

Certain employees of the City of Arab Fire Department who are assigned to the arson investigation division by the fire chief (including the fire chief himself) and otherwise meet the requirements below, are designated as law enforcement officers as defined by Section 11-43-181, Code of Alabama, 1975 as amended, and Rule 1.4, Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure.

(b)

Arson investigators as law enforcement officers shall meet the minimum standards set out in Section 36-21-46, Code of Alabama, 1975 as amended, and complete the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOST) law enforcement academy and maintain certification as law enforcement officers as required by APOST.

(c)

Arson investigators shall maintain public order and investigate the commission or suspected commission of offenses related to arson or fire prevention and are authorized to be armed and empowered with the full authority of law enforcement officers to make arrests and to take other such actions as may be legal, proper and necessary for the enforcement of the laws of the City of Arab and the State of Alabama.

(d)

The fire chief may also designate certain of the Arab Fire Department employees to assist the arson investigator(s) and otherwise work within the fire department's arson investigation division to assist with investigations and other related duties of the bureau of fire prevention. These members shall be appointed by the fire chief and shall serve on an as needed basis but shall not be designated as law enforcement officers and shall only assist and work under the oversight of the arson investigator(s).

(Ord. No. 2015-10, §§ 1—4, 8-17-15)

Cross reference

Emergency management, ch. 7.