A. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Executive Director shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and may be removed or replaced without cause. Compensation for the Executive Director shall be determined pursuant to the Governor. The Executive Director may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members elected to and constituting each chamber of the Legislature.

B. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall be qualified for such position by character, ability, education, training, and successful administrative experience in one of the following: Corrections, juvenile justice, juvenile delinquency, criminal justice, law, police science, criminology, psychology, sociology, administration, education, or a related social science.

C. The Executive Director shall provide for the administration of the Office of Juvenile Affairs and shall:

1. Be the executive officer and supervise the activities of the Office of Juvenile Affairs;

2. Pursuant to legislative authorization employ, discharge, appoint or contract with, and fix the duties and compensation of such assistants, attorneys, law enforcement officers, probation officers, psychologists, social workers, medical professionals, administrative, clerical and technical, investigators, aides and such other personnel, either on a full-time, part-time, fee or contractual basis, as in the judgment and discretion of the Executive Director shall be deemed necessary in the performance or carrying out of any of the purposes, objectives, responsibilities, or statutory provisions relating to the Office of Juvenile Affairs, or to assist the Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs in the performance of official duties and functions;

3. Establish internal policies and procedures for the proper and efficient administration of the Office of Juvenile Affairs; and

4. Exercise all incidental powers which are necessary and proper to implement the purposes of the Office of Juvenile Affairs pursuant to the Oklahoma Juvenile Code.

D. The Executive Director shall employ an attorney to be designated the "General Counsel" who shall be the legal advisor for the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Except as provided in this subsection, the General Counsel is authorized to appear for and represent the Board and Office in any litigation that may arise in the discharge of the duties of the Board and Office.

It shall continue to be the duty of the Attorney General to give an official opinion to the Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Office of Juvenile Affairs and to prosecute and defend actions therefor, if requested to do so. The Attorney General may levy and collect costs, expenses of litigation and a reasonable attorney fee for such legal services from the Office. The Office shall not contract for representation by private legal counsel unless approved by the Attorney General. Such contract for private legal counsel shall be in the best interests of the state. The Attorney General shall be notified by the Office of Juvenile Affairs or its counsel of all lawsuits against the Office of Juvenile Affairs or officers or employees thereof, that seek injunctive relief which would impose obligations requiring the expenditure of funds in excess of unencumbered monies in the agency's appropriations or beyond the current fiscal year. The Attorney General shall review any such cases and may represent the interests of the state, if the Attorney General considers it to be in the best interest of the state to do so, in which case the Attorney General shall be paid as provided in this subsection. Representation of multiple defendants in such actions may, at the discretion of the Attorney General, be divided with counsel for the Office as necessary to avoid conflicts of interest.

E. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall have the authority to commission certified employees within the Office of Juvenile Affairs as peace officers. The authority of employees so commissioned shall only include the authority to investigate crimes committed against the Office or crimes committed in the course of any program administered by the Office. Employees so commissioned shall also have the authority to serve and execute process, bench warrants, and other court orders in any judicial or administrative proceeding in which the agency is a party or participant. Use and possession of firearms for this purpose only shall be permitted. To become qualified as peace officers for the commission, employees shall first obtain a certificate as provided for in Section 3311 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

F. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, based upon rules established by the Board of Juvenile Affairs, shall have the authority to appoint and commission campus police for secure juvenile facilities and their adjacent grounds under the jurisdiction of the Office of Juvenile Affairs in the same manner and with the same powers as campus police appointed by governing boards of state institutions for higher education under the provisions of Section 360.15 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

G. In the event of the Executive Director's temporary absence, the Executive Director may delegate the exercise of such powers and duties to a designee during the Executive Director's absence. In the event of a vacancy in the position of Executive Director, the Governor shall appoint a new Executive Director. The Board may designate an interim or acting Executive Director who is authorized to exercise such powers and duties until a permanent Executive Director is employed.

Added by Laws 1994, c. 290, § 7, eff. July 1, 1994. Amended by Laws 1995, c. 352, § 74, eff. July 1, 1995. Renumbered from § 1507.4 of Title 10 by Laws 1995, c. 352, § 199, eff. July 1, 1995. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 247, § 9, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 1997, c. 293, § 3, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 2006, c. 320, § 3, emerg. eff. June 9, 2006; Laws 2008, c. 341, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2008. Renumbered from § 7302-2.1 of Title 10 by Laws 2009, c. 234, § 170, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009. Amended by Laws 2012, c. 246, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2012; Laws 2016, c. 386, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2016; Laws 2019, c. 2, § 2, emerg. eff. March 13, 2019.