(a)        Division Established. – There is created the State Capitol Police Division of the Department of Public Safety with the organization, powers, and duties defined in Article 1 of this Chapter, except as modified in this Part.

(b)        Purpose. – The State Capitol Police Division shall serve as a special police agency of the Department of Public Safety. The Chief of the State Capitol Police, appointed by the Secretary pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-602, with the approval of the Governor, may appoint as special police officers such reliable persons as the Chief may deem necessary.

(c)        Appointment of Officers. – Special police officers appointed pursuant to this section may not exercise the power of arrest until they shall take an oath, to be administered by any person authorized to administer oaths, as required by law.

(d)       Jurisdiction of Officers. – Each special police officer of the State Capitol Police shall have the same power of arrest as the police officers of the City of Raleigh. Such authority may be exercised within the same territorial jurisdiction as exercised by the police officers of the City of Raleigh, and in addition thereto the authority of a deputy sheriff may be exercised on property owned, leased, or maintained by the State located in the County of Wake.

(e)        Public Safety. – The Chief of the State Capitol Police, or the Chief’s designee, shall exercise at all times those means that, in the opinion of the Chief or the designee, may be effective in protecting all State buildings and grounds, except for the State legislative buildings and grounds as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 120-32.1(d), and the persons within those buildings and grounds from fire, bombs, bomb threats, or any other emergency or potentially hazardous conditions, including both the ordering and control of the evacuation of those buildings and grounds. The Chief, or the Chief’s designee, may employ the assistance of other available law enforcement agencies and emergency agencies to aid and assist in evacuations of those buildings and grounds. ?(2009-451, s. 17.3(f); 2011-145, ss. 19.1(g), (u), (y); 2014-100, s. 17.1(i); 2015-241, s. 16A.7(f); 2015-267, s. 3; 2017-57, s. 16B.10(c).)