31-157. Fire marshal deputies and investigatory personnel; law enforcement powers, when; training required, exceptions. (a) The state fire marshal, the state fire marshal's deputies and full-time fire prevention personnel assigned investigation duties who are members of a paid fire department who have been certified by the state fire marshal pursuant to this section shall have the authority to make arrests, carry firearms and conduct searches and seizures while investigating any fire or explosion in which arson or attempted arson is suspected or in which there is an attempt or suspected attempt to defraud an insurance company. Any affidavits necessary to authorize arrests, searches or seizures pursuant to this section shall be made in accordance with K.S.A. 22-2302 and 22-2502, and amendments thereto.

(b) The state fire marshal, with the assistance of an advisory committee appointed pursuant to K.S.A. 31-135, and amendments thereto, shall adopt rules and regulations and specify the number of investigators for departments or areas and establish standards for certification of members of fire departments to make arrests, carry firearms and conduct searches and seizures pursuant to this section. No fire department personnel shall be certified to carry firearms under the provisions of this act without having first successfully completed the firearm training course or courses prescribed for law enforcement officers under K.S.A. 74-5604a, and amendments thereto.

(c) With the exception of firearms training, nothing in this section shall be construed to require persons employed prior to the effective date of this act to comply with the standards established by the state fire marshal pursuant to this section as a condition of continued employment, and such persons' failure to comply with such standards shall not make such persons ineligible for any promotional examination for which they are otherwise eligible or affect in any way any pension rights to which they are entitled on the effective date of this act.

History: L. 1982, ch. 135, § 1; L. 2012, ch. 89, § 12; July 1.