A. The board shall keep reports of its veterinarians and inspectors in accordance with the Public Records Act [Chapter 14, Article 3 NMSA 1978].

B. The board shall assist in the prosecution of persons charged with the violation of the livestock laws, including criminal laws relating to livestock, and may call upon a livestock inspector or other peace officer to execute its orders, and when it does, the peace officer shall obey the order of the board.

C. Livestock inspectors may arrest persons found in the act or whom they have probable cause to believe to be guilty of driving, holding or slaughtering stolen livestock; of violating the inspection laws of the state; or of violating any provision of Chapter 30, Article 18 NMSA 1978 relating to livestock or other criminal law relating to livestock.

History: 1953 Comp., § 47-23-7, enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 213, § 8; 1983, ch. 229, § 3; 2001, ch. 8, § 3; 2001, ch. 341, § 3.

Cross references. — For penalty for violating rule or regulation of New Mexico livestock board, see 77-2-22 NMSA 1978.

The 2001 amendment, effective June 15, 2001, deleted "New Mexico livestock" preceding "board" in Subsections A and B; in Subsection B, inserted "including criminal laws relating to livestock", substituted "a livestock" for "any" preceding "inspector", inserted "peace" preceding "officer", deleted "or inspector" preceding "shall obey"; and added Subsection C.

Laws 2001, ch. 8, § 3 and Laws 2001, ch. 341, § 3, both effective June 15, 2001, enacted identical amendments to this section. The section was set out as amended by Laws 2001, ch. 341, § 3. See 12-1-8 NMSA 1978.

The 1983 amendment, in Subsection A, deleted "a permanent record of its acts and of the acts and" following "board shall keep" and added "in accordance with the Public Records Act" at the end.