1. Each park ranger employed by the director of the department of natural resources and such other employees as may be designated by the director shall be certified by the director of the department of public safety, as provided in chapter 590. Each such person shall take and subscribe an oath of office to perform his duties faithfully and impartially and shall be given a certificate of commission as a peace officer for state parks. The commission shall grant him the same powers as other peace officers to maintain order, preserve the peace and make arrests for violations of law on all land under the jurisdiction and control of the director and on all state and county highways within the boundaries of state parks.

2. Each park ranger shall have the authority to have abandoned vehicles or watercraft removed from state and county roads within state parks and from all land and water owned, leased or under the supervision of the department of natural resources, if the vehicle has been left unattended on the land or in the water, on the roadway or right-of-way for a period of forty-eight hours. If the vehicle is creating a safety or health hazard, it may be removed as soon as is practical. The procedure contained in section 304.155 shall be observed for reporting the storage location, notification of the owner and disposal of the vehicle or watercraft.

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 253.065

  • Department: the department of natural resources. See Missouri Laws 253.010
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Land: upland, land under water, the water itself and every estate, interest and right, legal or equitable in land or water. See Missouri Laws 253.010
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Park: any land, site or object primarily of recreational value or of cultural value because of its scenic, historic, prehistoric, archeologic, scientific, or other distinctive characteristics or natural features. See Missouri Laws 253.010
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020