§ 42-9-8.1 - Office of investigation – Powers and duties of investigators.
SECTION 42-9-8.1
§ 42-9-8.1 Office of investigation –Powers and duties of investigators. – (1) Establishment. There is hereby established within the department ofattorney general an office of investigation.
(2) Scope and purpose. The scope and purpose of theoffice of investigation shall be:
(a) To assist special assistant and assistant attorneysgeneral in carrying out investigations relating to grand jury investigations,pre-trial preparation and other litigation efforts;
(b) To coordinate their efforts in investigating criminalactivity with existing federal, state and local law enforcement resources; and
(c) To initiate criminal investigations for violations of thelaw at the direction of the attorney general.
(3) Composition and powers. The office ofinvestigation shall consist of a chief, and not more than five (5) fieldinvestigators and support personnel. The chief and the field investigatorsshall have the following powers:
(a) The power to arrest independently or in conjunction withlocal, state or federal law enforcement agencies;
(b) The power to, with the written authorization by theattorney general or his or her designated deputy, apply for and execute searchwarrants; and
(c) The power to serve civil and criminal process.
(4) Qualifications. No person shall be appointed aschief of the office of investigation or as a field investigator in the officeunless he or she has successfully completed the basic course of instruction forpolice officers at the Providence police training academy, the Rhode Islandmunicipal police training academy, or the Rhode Island state police trainingacademy, and has at least three (3) years of active law enforcement experience,or has served as a member of the United States Marshal's Service or as aspecial agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a criminal lawenforcement agency of the United States Department of Justice, the UnitedStates Department of State, the United States Department of the Treasury or theUnited States Postal Inspection Service and has at least three (3) years ofactive law enforcement experience, or has been certified as a police officer bythe duly-constituted state commission on police officer standards and trainingof another state, and has at least three (3) years of active law enforcementexperience.
(5) Appointment background check. The attorney generalshall appoint the chief, field investigators, and the support personnel of theoffice of investigation. Prior to the appointment of any individuals, abackground examination shall be conducted utilizing federal, state and locallaw enforcement agencies, bureau of criminal identification, national crimeinformation center, and any and all relevant records existing within thefederal and state court systems.
(6) Standards. The office shall adopt and implementsuch standards as may be applicable to its scope and purpose as promulgated bythe commission for the accreditation of law enforcement agencies.