306.163. Commissioner of water patrol, appointment, oath, duties--granted powers of a peace officer, when--lieutenant colonel to assume the duties of the commissioner, when.

Commissioner of water patrol, appointment, oath, duties--grantedpowers of a peace officer, when--lieutenant colonel to assume theduties of the commissioner, when.

306.163. 1. The governor, by and with the advice and consent of thesenate, shall appoint a commissioner of the Missouri state water patrol toserve at the pleasure of the governor. The commissioner shall take andsubscribe an oath of office to perform the commissioner's duties faithfullyand impartially. The commissioner appointed by the governor shall have atleast ten years of experience in law enforcement similar to the dutiesexercised by uniformed officers of the state water patrol or at least fiveyears of experience as a uniformed officer of the state water patrol.

2. The commissioner shall prescribe rules for instruction anddiscipline and make administrative rules and regulations and fix the hoursof duty for the members of the patrol. The commissioner shall have chargeof the office of the patrol, shall be custodian of the records of thepatrol, and shall direct the day-to-day activities of the officers,patrolmen and office personnel.

3. The commissioner shall be given a certificate of appointment, acopy of which shall be filed with the secretary of state, granting him orher all the powers of a peace officer to enforce all the laws of this statewithin the jurisdiction of the water patrol as listed in section 306.165,provided that he has completed a law enforcement training course whichmeets the standards established in chapter 590, RSMo.

4. In the absence, or upon the disability, of the commissioner, or atthe time the commissioner designates, the lieutenant colonel shall assumethe duties of the commissioner. In case of the disability of thecommissioner and the lieutenant colonel, the governor may designate a majoras acting commissioner and when so designated, the acting commissionershall have all the powers and duties of the commissioner.

(L. 1985 H.B. 280, et al. § 306.162, A.L. 1989 S.B. 135, A.L. 2007 H.B. 461, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1715)