§12-17-220.1. Appointment of investigators by district attorney of any judicial circuit.

(a) Unless otherwise provided by local law, the district attorney of any judicial circuit in this state may appoint a chief investigator and, from time to time, additional investigators who will each be a peace officer pursuant to Section 6-5-338. The chief investigator and other investigators shall serve at the pleasure of the district attorney. The chief investigator and any additional investigators shall meet the minimum standards for law enforcement officers and hold a current certification from the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission. The chief investigator and other investigators shall have the same authority as deputy sheriffs and other law enforcement officers in this state. They shall be responsible to the district attorney and shall perform duties as assigned by the district attorney.

(b) The Legislature may continue to enact local laws in the future or repeal existing local laws authorizing the appointment of investigators and providing for the powers of those investigators. This section shall not supersede existing local acts on June 9, 2011, or any local act enacted after June 9, 2011, providing for appointment of investigators by the district attorney in any county. Any district attorney appointing investigators pursuant to a local act may continue to appoint investigators according to that act until it is expressly repealed. Any investigator appointed pursuant to a local act of the Legislature may continue to exercise the powers and authorities provided in the local act until the local act is expressly repealed. Upon repeal of a local act authorizing the district attorney to appoint investigators and providing for the powers and authority of the investigators, the district attorney may appoint investigators pursuant to this section.

(Act 2011-538, p. 980, §§1, 2.)