a. The governing body of any municipality which has established a paid or part-paid fire department or force may, by ordinance, create an arson investigation unit within the fire department or force and provide for the maintenance, regulation and control thereof. The arson investigation unit shall be responsible for conducting investigations of arson, suspicious fires or explosions within the municipality.

b. Only full-time, paid members of a paid or part-paid fire department or force may be assigned to an arson investigation unit created pursuant to this section. Before any member shall be assigned to an arson investigation unit, he shall have successfully completed an appropriate course of training approved by the Police Training Commission and an arson investigation training course approved by the Department of Law and Public Safety.

c. Any member of a fire department or force who is assigned to an arson investigation unit pursuant to this section shall attend and successfully complete in-service training programs as required by the Division of Criminal Justice.

d. Any full-time, paid member of a fire department or force who is assigned full-time or part-time to an arson investigation unit pursuant to this section shall have the same powers and authority of police officers within the municipality while engaged in the actual performance of arson investigation duties.

e. No more than one member of a fire department of a municipality having a population of 50,000 or less according to the latest federal decennial census may be assigned to an arson investigation unit on a part-time basis.

L. 1981, c. 409, s. 1, eff. Jan. 7, 1982. Amended by L. 1983, c. 82, s. 1, eff. March 2, 1983; L. 1985, c. 150, s. 2, eff. April 25, 1985.