(a) The Attorney General may, upon request of the superintendent, assign an assistant Attorney General to the department.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section one, article three, chapter five of this code, the superintendent may authorize any member of the department to employ an attorney of such member's choice to act in proceedings wherein criminal charges are brought against such member because of action in line of duty. For such attorney's services an amount determined by the judge in whose court the action is pending, not to exceed $1,000, may be expended in any one case.