(a) The Prosecuting Attorney of the Twenty-second Judicial District shall be entitled to appoint and employ one (1) investigator at not less than twenty-one thousand dollars ($21,000), to be paid by Saline County when approved by the quorum court and payment is approved by the county judge.
(b) In addition to the investigator listed by salary in subsection (a) of this section, the Prosecuting Attorney of the Twenty-second Judicial District shall have the authority to appoint and employ other investigators as necessary for the administration of justice.
(c)
(1) All investigators authorized and so appointed shall have the authority to issue process, serve warrants, and possess all law enforcement officer powers.
(2) They shall be certified law enforcement officers commissioned by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training and shall be defined as public safety members under Arkansas law.
(3) In the event that investigators shall issue process or serve warrants, the prosecutor's office shall be entitled to receive the same fee as provided in § 21-6-307, which shall be deposited into the hot check fees account.