The specific powers and duties of the State Police shall be to patrol the state highways and other important ways, especially outside the compact portion of cities and towns, for the purpose of enforcing the law, and all laws relating to motor-driven and horse-drawn vehicles and all rules and regulations in regard thereto, and of arresting all violators and prosecuting all offenders against the same. The State Police shall aid the Department of Transportation in the enforcement of its rules and orders and permit regulations. In addition to these duties and powers, the Chief and members of the State Police are vested with the same powers and duties throughout the several counties of the State as sheriffs have in their respective counties to serve criminal processes, to investigate and prosecute violators of any law of this State and to arrest the offenders thereof, and the same power and duty as sheriffs have to arrest without warrant and detain persons found violating or attempting to violate any other penal law of the State until a legal warrant can be obtained. As arresting officers, or aids, or witnesses in any criminal case, they shall be limited to the same fees as complainants under Title 15, section 1363. Fees shall be taxed on a bill of costs and shall be paid promptly each month to the Treasurer of State and credited to the General Highway Fund. They shall have the same rights as sheriffs to require aid in executing the duties of their office. They may serve any subpoenas, notices and processes issued by the Secretary of State or the Department of Transportation under authority of law. They shall at all times be subject to the call of the Governor for emergency purposes at the Governor’s discretion. [PL 1989, c. 757 (AMD).]

The State Police, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, constables, city marshals, deputy marshals and police officers of cities and towns shall, so far as possible, cooperate in the detection of crime, the arrest and prosecution of criminals and the preservation of law and order throughout the State.

The State Police may provide patrol services to the Maine Turnpike. The Chief of the State Police may charge the Maine Turnpike Authority for these services. Revenues received are allocated for the purpose of funding the cost of patrolling the Maine Turnpike. [PL 1985, c. 403, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

Upon the request of a federal agency or other person, the State Police may provide assistance for public safety purposes only to the federal agency or other person. The Chief of the State Police may charge the various federal agencies or other persons for these services. Revenues received from these agencies and other persons must be allocated for the purpose of funding the cost of providing the services. The State Police shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice matters no later than January 15th of each year concerning the assistance provided to federal agencies and other persons during the previous calendar year. The report must contain information about the types of services provided, the number of services and the fees charged by the Chief of the State Police. [PL 2001, c. 483, §1 (AMD).]

The Chief of the State Police may assign one or more state police officers to provide full-time or part-time police services to a municipality, or to no more than 3 adjoining municipalities, lacking an organized police department, if the municipality or municipalities pay the costs of training, compensation, including wages and fringe benefits, equipment and other expenses of the assigned state police officer or officers. The Chief of the State Police shall continue to exercise supervision and direction over a state police officer who is assigned to provide police services to a municipality or municipalities. The Chief of the State Police and the municipality or municipalities are authorized to enter into agreements and contracts for police services for a period not exceeding 3 years per agreement or contract. Revenues received from a municipality must be allocated for the purpose of funding the cost of providing the police services. [PL 2005, c. 53, §1 (AMD).]

Municipal and county jails shall at all times be available for detention of persons arrested by state or any other law enforcement officers. In those municipalities where full-time supervision of the jail is not provided by the municipality, full responsibility for the safekeeping and welfare of any person detained shall rest solely with the arresting officer. Expense of any municipality or any damage to the jail resulting from the use of its jail by any arresting officer shall be reimbursed to the municipality by the law enforcement agency for which the arresting officer is acting. [PL 1989, c. 757 (AMD).]

County commissioners of all the several counties are authorized to provide and pay for liability insurance protection for the keeper of the county jail.

The Bureau of State Police is authorized to establish 2 State Police Sergeant project positions to be temporarily assigned to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for each training class at the academy. [PL 2005, c. 519, Pt. Q, §1 (NEW).]