§574.8. Parole officers; powers of arrest; summary arrest and detention of parolees

A. Parole officers shall be deemed to be peace officers and shall have the same powers with respect to criminal matters and the enforcement of the law relating thereto as sheriffs, constables, and police officers have in their respective jurisdictions. They have all the immunities and matters of defense now available or hereafter made available to sheriffs, constables, and police officers in any suit brought against them in consequence of acts done in the course of their employment.

B. If a parole officer has reasonable cause to believe that a parolee has violated or is attempting to violate a condition of his parole and that an emergency exists, so that awaiting action by the committee under R.S. 15:574.7 would create an undue risk to the public or to the parolee, such parole officer may arrest the parolee without a warrant or may authorize any peace officer to do so. The authorization may be in writing or oral, but if not written, shall be subsequently confirmed by a written statement. The written authorization or subsequent confirmation shall set forth that, in the judgment of the parole officer, the person to be arrested has violated or was attempting to violate a condition of his parole. The parolee arrested hereunder, if detained, shall be held in a local jail, state prison, or other detention facility, pending action by the committee. Immediately after such arrest and detention, the parole officer concerned shall notify the chief probation and parole officer and submit a written report of the reason for the arrest. After consideration of the written report, the chief probation and parole officer shall, with all practicable speed, make a preliminary determination, and shall either order the parolee's release from detention or proceed promptly in accordance with R.S. 15:574.7.

Acts 1952, No. 162, §7. Amended by Acts 1956, No. 66, §1; Acts 1968, No. 191, §1; Acts 2001, No. 608, §1; Acts 2010, No. 924, §2, eff. July 2, 2010; Acts 2012, No. 714, §8.