1. a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, when the governing body of a county abolishes a county park commission, the governing body may, in its discretion, abolish any county park police force which had been established by that county park commission. Upon the abolition of a county park police force, the governing body of the county shall authorize the county sheriff to assign and supervise an appropriate number of sheriff’s officers to perform security duties for the county parks, provided that the appropriate number of officers assigned to perform security duties for county parks shall include all of the former county park police officers who were transferred and given appointments as sheriff’s officers pursuant to subsection b. of this section. In assigning the appropriate number of officers to perform security duties in county parks, the sheriff shall determine the appropriate table of organization, the number of officers to be assigned above the number of former county park police officers, the rank of the officers and any other rules and regulations the sheriff shall deem appropriate.

The sheriff shall not assign a county park police officer who was transferred and given an appointment as a sheriff’s officer pursuant to subsection b. of this section to duties other than security duties in county parks without the consent of that officer. Any officer assigned by the sheriff to perform park security duties shall maintain all the powers of a sheriff’s officer as provided by law and, in addition, shall acquire the power to preserve order in the county parks, to secure and enforce the rules and regulations established for the county parks, and to protect life and property in the county parks. A county park police officer who was transferred and given an appointment as a sheriff’s officer shall retain all of the police power and authority that the officer had as a county park police officer prior to the appointment as a sheriff’s officer, including any authority to bear and use a firearm.

(2) In the case of a county which has established a county police force, the governing body of that county may authorize the chief law enforcement officer of that force rather than the sheriff to assign and supervise former county park police officers in the same manner as other officers of the county police force are assigned and supervised.

The chief law enforcement officer of the county police force may assign a county park police officer who was transferred and given an appointment as a county police officer pursuant to subsection b. of this section to duties other than security duties in county parks. Any officer assigned by the chief law enforcement officer of the county police force to perform park security duties shall maintain all the powers of a county police officer, as provided by law and, in addition, shall acquire the power to preserve order in the county parks, to secure and enforce the rules and regulations established for the county parks, and to protect life and property in the county parks. A county park police officer who was transferred and given an appointment as a county police officer shall retain all of the police power and authority that the officer had as a county park police officer, including any authority to bear and use a firearm.

b. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, when a county park police force is abolished, any county park police officer who was appointed and in service on or before the date on which the force is abolished shall be transferred to the county sheriff’s department and shall receive an immediate appointment as a sheriff’s officer, except as otherwise may be provided pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection. Such a new sheriff’s officer shall acquire all of the civil service rights and benefits which correspond to his new rank within the sheriff’s department and shall receive the compensation and other monetary benefits corresponding to that rank. A county park police officer who receives an appointment as a sheriff’s officer and who has not yet been certified by the Police Training Commission within the Department of Law and Public Safety as having satisfactorily completed a police training program shall meet all the training requirements for a sheriff’s officer within six months of the date of appointment.

Upon appointment as a sheriff’s officer pursuant to this subsection, a county park police officer with the rank of chief may be demoted no more than one rank. A county park police officer with the rank of captain may be demoted to the rank of lieutenant, an officer with the rank of lieutenant may be demoted to the rank of sergeant, and any other officer shall not be demoted to a rank lower than a sergeant upon appointment as a sheriff’s officer.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, when a county park police force is abolished in a county which has established a county police force and the governing body of that county has authorized the chief law enforcement officer of that force rather than the sheriff to assign and supervise former county park police officers, those county park police officers who were appointed and in service on or before the date on which the force is abolished shall be transferred to the county police force and shall receive an immediate appointment as a county police officer. All such county police officers shall acquire all the civil service rights and benefits which correspond to their new rank within the county police force and shall receive the compensation and other monetary benefits corresponding to that rank. A county park police officer who receives an appointment as a county police officer and who has not yet been certified by the Police Training Commission within the Department of Law and Public Safety as having satisfactorily completed a police training program shall meet all the training requirements for a county police officer within six months of the date of appointment.

Upon appointment as a county police officer pursuant to this paragraph, a county park police officer with the rank of chief may be demoted no more than one rank. A county park police officer with the rank of captain may be demoted to the rank of lieutenant, an officer with the rank of lieutenant may be demoted to the rank of sergeant, and any other officer shall not be demoted to a rank lower than a sergeant upon appointment as a county police officer.

c. The provisions of this section shall be controlling over any provision of current law which is inconsistent with the provisions of this section in situations where a county park police force has been abolished and the county sheriff or the chief law enforcement officer of the county police force has been authorized to provide security for county parks. It is the purpose of this act that a county park police officer shall be appointed as a sheriff’s officer or county police officer, as the case may be, without any loss of seniority rights, or impairment of tenure or retirement system rights.

d. Upon the enactment of this section into law, a county park police officer with the rank of chief shall be given the option of becoming a sheriff’s officer or county police officer, as the case may be, pursuant to the provisions of this section or of retiring from service. If the chief elects retirement, he shall not be demoted but shall retain the rank of chief and shall be given terminal leave for a period of one month for each five year period of past service as a county park police officer. During the terminal leave, the chief shall continue to receive full compensation and shall be entitled to all benefits, including any increases in compensation or benefits, that he may have been entitled to if he had remained on active duty.

L.1987, c.271, s.1; amended 2013, c.21, s.9.