(a) A county juvenile probation officer or DJJ staff member serving as a juvenile probation officer or community supervision officer, as appropriate:

(1) Shall make investigations, reports, and recommendations to the court as directed by this chapter;

(2) Shall supervise and assist a child placed on probation or under the protective supervision or care of such officer by order of the court or other authority of law;

(3) May, unless otherwise ordered by the court, determine if a child should be placed on unsupervised probation and, if so, place a child on unsupervised probation;

(4) Shall make appropriate referrals to other private or public agencies of the community if such assistance appears to be needed or desirable;

(5) May take into custody and detain a child who is under the supervision or care of such officer if such officer has reasonable cause to believe that such child's health or safety or that of another is in imminent danger or that such child may abscond or be removed from the jurisdiction of the court, or when so ordered by the court pursuant to this chapter;

(6) May not conduct accusatory proceedings against a child who is or may be under such officer's care or supervision;

(7) Shall perform all other functions designated by this chapter or by order of the court pursuant to this chapter. Any of the functions specified in this Code section may be performed in another state if authorized by the court located in this state and permitted by the laws of the other state; and

(8) Other laws to the contrary notwithstanding, no such officer shall be liable for the acts of a child not detained or taken into custody when, in the judgment of such officer, such detention or custody is not warranted.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Code section, DJJ, as the employer, shall maintain sole authority over the duties and responsibilities of all DJJ staff members serving as probation officers and the Department of Community Supervision shall maintain sole authority over the duties and responsibilities of all of such department's staff serving as community supervision officers.