(a) The commissioner shall appoint a director of probation and parole who shall devote full time and capacities to the duties of the office. The director shall have at least five (5) years of related administrative experience or a bachelor's or advanced degree in any of the following fields: penology, corrections work, law enforcement, law, vocational education, public administration, rehabilitation or social work, medicine or the behavioral sciences. Under the supervision of the commissioner or designee, the director of probation and parole shall:

(1) Formulate methods of investigation, evaluation and supervision of persons under the supervision of the department;

(2) Develop and implement various techniques relating to the casework of probation and parole officers, including, but not limited to, interviewing, organization of records, analysis of information, development of plans for supervision and the coordination of efforts by individuals and other governmental agencies involving the treatment and rehabilitation of persons released on parole;

(3) Assist the commissioner in promulgating rules and regulations for the guidance of the probation and parole officers in the conduct of their work;

(4) Supervise the work of the probation and parole officers;

(5) Cooperate fully with state courts of criminal jurisdiction in all matters relating to persons who have been released on parole; and

(6) Establish conditions of supervision for and supervise sex offenders sentenced to community supervision for life pursuant to § 39-13-524.

(b) Nothing in this part shall be construed to diminish the authority of the courts to impose conditions of supervision on probationers under their jurisdiction pursuant to § 40-35-303(d).

(c) The director of probation and parole shall have the authority, upon request of the governor, to issue warrants authorizing the arrest and return to their former places of incarceration of persons who are reasonably believed to have violated the conditions of their grants of executive clemency.