245.245. Board to appoint inspectors--duties and powers of inspectors.
Board to appoint inspectors--duties and powers of inspectors.
245.245. 1. It shall be the duty and the privilege of theboard of supervisors to employ or appoint inspectors for thepurpose of policing, guarding and inspecting all leveesconstructed under the provisions of sections 245.010 to 245.280,and the number of such inspectors shall be determined by theboard of supervisors, as conditions and emergencies may requirefrom time to time.
2. Said (and such) inspectors shall have the right at anytime to take up and impound any and all stock, animals, or fowls,found upon or running upon any levee constructed or supervisedunder the provisions of sections 245.010 to 245.280; and beforethe owner of any such animal or animals, stock or fowls, shall beentitled to recover possession of the same, he shall pay to saidlevee district the penalty or amount fixed by the board ofsupervisors. Any and all members of the board of supervisors,and all inspectors employed by them, shall at all times inguarding or patrolling any levee constructed or supervised underthe provisions of sections 245.010 to 245.280, shall have thesame rights and authority in making arrests of persons, and inimpounding animals, as is now accorded any sheriff or other peaceofficer of this state.
3. It shall be the further duty of said inspectors to reportat such times as the board of supervisors may require, thecondition of the levees, or other works of the district assignedto each inspector by the board; to make such examinations of alllevees during high water periods, as may be directed by the boardof supervisors; and upon any emergency, or danger to the levee,or other works of the district, of which the inspector hascharge, he by order of the board of supervisors, may call out allable-bodied men over sixteen years of age, and under fifty years,within the district, and compel such persons to perform such workas said inspector may deem necessary to be made, in order toprotect the levees, grades, or other works of the district. Anyperson who shall refuse to perform any such work assigned to himby said inspector, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, andupon affidavit made before any associate circuit judge of thecounty, by the inspector, or any other person, that the offenderhas defaulted in obeying such call or summons of said inspector,said associate circuit judge shall issue a warrant for the arrestof such offender, and upon conviction before said associatecircuit judge, upon information or any other modes provided bylaw for the trial of cases of misdemeanor, he shall be fined anysum not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars, or byimprisonment in the county jail, not less than fifteen nor morethan sixty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, at thediscretion of the associate circuit judge. For every day's workany person shall perform under such requisition, he shall be paidthe sum of one dollar and fifty cents out of the funds of thedistrict, if demanded by him.
4. The provisions of this section shall apply, so far asnecessary, to levee districts organized under sections 245.285 to245.545.
(RSMo 1939 § 12533)Prior revisions: 1929 § 10943; 1919 § 4637