§ 53-8-104. Superintendent's duties.

     The superintendent shall:

(1) divide the state highways into sections for the purpose of patrolling and policing;

(2) employ peace officers known as highway patrol troopers to patrol or police the highways within this state and to enforce the state statutes as required;

(3) establish ranks, grades, and positions in the Highway Patrol and designate the authority and responsibility in each rank, grade, and position;

(4) establish for the Highway Patrol standards and qualifications and fix prerequisites of training, education, and experience for each rank, grade, and position;

(5) appoint personnel to each rank, grade, and position necessary for the efficient operation and administration of the Highway Patrol;

(6) devise and administer examinations designed to test applicants for positions with the Highway Patrol;

(7) make rules governing the Highway Patrol as appear to the superintendent advisable;

(8) discharge, demote, or temporarily suspend any employee in the Highway Patrol for cause;

(9) prescribe the uniforms to be worn and the equipment to be used by employees of the Highway Patrol;

(10) charge against each employee of the Highway Patrol the value of any property of the state lost or destroyed through the carelessness of the employee;

(11) establish, with the approval of the Division of Finance, the terms and conditions under which expense allowance should be paid to any employee of the Highway Patrol while away from his station;

(12) station the Highway Patrol in localities as he finds advisable for the enforcement of the laws of this state;

(13) conduct in conjunction with the State Board of Education in and through all state schools an educational campaign in highway safety and work in conjunction with civic organizations, churches, local units of government, and other organizations that may function in accomplishing the purposes of reducing highway accidents;

(14) provide the initial mandatory uniform items for each new trooper hired after July 1, 1998;

(15) determine by rule a basic uniform allowance system which includes the manner in which troopers may receive maintenance services and vouchers for basic uniforms and administer any funds appropriated by the Legislature to the division for that purpose; and

(16) on or before January 1, 2003, adopt a written policy that prohibits the stopping, detention, or search of any person when the action is solely motivated by considerations of race, color, ethnicity, age, or gender.

Amended by Chapter 219, 2002 General Session