§ 40-2-7 — Enforcement by law enforcement officer or animal control officer--Powers.

Any law enforcement agency may enforce the provisions of this chapter or chapter 40-1 . An animal care and control agency may enforce the provisions of this chapter or chapter 40-1 in a county or municipality if the legislative authority of the county or municipality has entered into a contract with the agency to enforce the provisions of this chapter and chapter 40-1 . An animal control officer enforcing this chapter or chapter 40-1 shall comply with the same constitutional and statutory restrictions concerning the execution of police powers imposed on a law enforcement officer who enforces this chapter, chapter 40-1 , and other criminal laws. An animal control officer has the following enforcement powers when enforcing this chapter: (1) The power to issue citations based on probable cause to offenders for misdemeanor and felony violations of this chapter or chapter 40-1 ; (2) The power to request that a law enforcement officer arrest and take into custody any person the animal control officer has probable cause to believe has committed or is committing a violation of this chapter or chapter 40-1 . An animal control officer may make an oral complaint to a prosecuting attorney or a law enforcement officer to initiate an arrest. The animal control officer causing the arrest shall file with the arresting agency a written complaint within twenty-four hours of the arrest, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, stating the alleged act or acts constituting a violation; (3) The power to carry protective devices, other than firearms, for personal protection; (4) The power to prepare affidavits in support of search warrants and to execute search warrants when accompanied by law enforcement officers to investigate violations of this chapter or chapter 40-1 , and to seize evidence of those violations.

Legislative History

SL 2006, ch 211, § 3.