§36-15-6. Appointment or employment of assistant attorneys general, investigators, and other employees.

(a) Subject to the Merit System, the Attorney General may appoint as many assistant attorneys general and other employees as the public interest requires by reason of the volume of work in his or her office.

(b) Subject to the Merit System, the Attorney General may employ as many investigators in his or her office as may be necessary to perform investigatory functions for the office.

(c) Investigators appointed pursuant to this section shall have all the powers vested in deputy sheriffs and all other law enforcement officers of the State of Alabama, including, but not limited to, the powers of arrest and the power to serve any and all process, and shall perform the duties, responsibilities, and functions as may be designated by the Attorney General.

(d) No person shall serve as an investigator who has not met the minimum standards established for law enforcement officers by the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission or other standards as may be hereafter provided by law. Investigators appointed pursuant to this section shall meet other additional standards as the Attorney General may adopt.

(e) All investigators appointed pursuant to this section shall be entitled to all benefits provided employees of the Alabama Department of Public Safety, including, but not limited to, participation in any retirement plan afforded state troopers.

(Code 1896, §2030; Code 1907, §§637, 638; Acts 1923, No. 600, p. 789, §3; Code 1923, §855; Acts 1927, No. 26, p. 30; Acts 1933, Ex. Sess., No. 138, p. 124, §1; Acts 1939, No. 50, p. 57, §2; Code 1940, T. 55, §230; Acts 1995, No. 95-770, p. 1819, §1; Act 2011-574, p. 1219, §1.)