121-10. Security of historic properties.

(a) Designated Employees Commissioned Special Peace Officers by Governor. - Upon application by the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Governor is hereby authorized and empowered to commission as special peace officers such employees of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources as the Secretary may designate for the purpose of enforcing the laws, rules, and regulations enacted or adopted for the protection, preservation and government of State historic or archaeological properties under the control or supervision of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Such employees shall receive no additional compensation for performing the duties of special peace officers under this section.

(b) Powers of Arrest. - Any employee of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources commissioned as a special peace officer shall have the right to arrest with warrant any person violating any law, rule, or regulation on or relating to the State historic or archaeological properties under the control or supervision of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and shall have power to pursue and arrest without warrant any person violating in his presence any law, rule, or regulation on or relating to said historic and archaeological properties under the control or supervision of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

(c) Bond Required. - Each employee of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources commissioned as a special peace officer under this section shall give a bond with a good surety, payable to the State of North Carolina in a sum not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his duty as such peace officer. The bond shall be duly approved by and filed in the office of the Commissioner of Insurance, and copies of the same, certified by the Commissioner of Insurance, shall be received in evidence in all actions and proceedings in this State.

(d) Oaths Required. - Before any employee of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources commissioned as a special peace officer shall exercise any power of arrest under this Article, he shall take the oaths required of public officers before an officer authorized to administer oaths.