2023 Tennessee Code › Title 11 - NATURAL AREAS AND RECREATION (§§ 11-1-101 — 11-25-119) › Chapter 1 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION (§§ 11-1-101 — 11-1-118) › Section 11-1-101 - Organization of department - Authority of commissioner - Historical commission

(a)
The department of environment and conservation shall be under the charge and general supervision of the commissioner of environment and conservation, who shall have the same official status as other commissioners.
(b)
The commissioner is authorized to establish divisions, bureaus or other organizational units necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon the commissioner and the department.
(c)
The commissioner is authorized to appoint such deputy and assistant commissioners as may be necessary to discharge the powers and duties of the department. In the event of absence or incapacity of the commissioner or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the commissioner, an appropriate person designated by the governor may be authorized in accordance with §
4-4-115
, to exercise any and all of the powers of the commissioner until such time as the duly appointed commissioner can fulfill such commissioner's responsibilities.
(d)
The commissioner is authorized to delegate any of the powers, duties, responsibilities or authority vested in the commissioner by the laws of the state of Tennessee.
(e)
The commissioner may adopt, promulgate and enforce such rules and regulations necessary to carry out such commissioner's duties and responsibilities.
(f)
The commissioner is also authorized to adopt, promulgate and enforce rules and regulations establishing fees and charges for departmental services including, but not limited to, licenses, permits, or authorizations rendered pursuant to or required by any statute administered by the department.
(g)
The department shall have transferred and attached to it the Tennessee historical commission, for purposes of administration.
(h)
(1)
In addition to the authority granted by chapters 3 and 6 of this title, the commissioner is authorized to commission as environmental investigation law enforcement officers those employees of the department who have successfully met standards of initial and recurrent training and qualification established by the commissioner pursuant to this subsection (h) for the commissioning of employees as environmental investigation law enforcement officers. The standards must be substantially equivalent to those established by the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission.
(2)
(A)
For the sole purpose of carrying out the scope of assigned duties regarding environmentally-related criminal offenses within the jurisdiction of the department as specified or limited in the sole discretion of the commissioner, each employee commissioned pursuant to subdivision (h)(1) shall have all the powers and protections of a law enforcement officer throughout this state, including, but not limited to, the authority to:
(i)
Make arrests for public offenses, execute all warrants, and serve process in criminal and penal prosecutions for such offenses;
(ii)
Carry weapons for the reasonable purposes of the employee's office while in the performance of the employee's assigned duties; and
(iii)
Assist other local, state, and federal agencies in their law enforcement duties.
(B)
When on duty, each employee commissioned pursuant to subdivision (h)(1) shall carry on the employee's person a badge and identification card that identify the commissioned employee as an officer of the department of environment and conservation. The commissioned employee shall exhibit the badge and identification card on demand and prior to making an arrest.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 135,s 1, eff. 4/13/2021.
Acts 1937, ch. 33, § 70; C. Supp. 1950, § 255.63 (Williams, § 255.73); impl. am. Acts 1959, ch. 9, § 11; impl. am. Acts 1963, ch. 169, § 3; Acts 1975, ch. 143, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 11-101; Acts 1992, ch. 693, § 9.