If a licensed professional surveyor appointed by the board of county commissioners shall be molested or prevented from doing or performing any of the surveyor's official duties by means of threats or improper interference of any person, the surveyor shall call on the sheriff or other peace officer of the county, who shall accompany the surveyor and afford the surveyor all necessary protection against any person thus threatening or improperly interfering with the surveyor while performing official duties. The person so offending shall, on conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction, be fined in a sum not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) and be liable for all damages caused to any person by the hindrance of the surveyor and for all the expenses that may accrue in consequence of the attendance of the sheriff or officer and the delay of the surveyor.
History: Laws 1891, ch. 33, § 7; C.L. 1897, § 791; Code 1915, § 1293; C.S. 1929, § 33-4907; 1941 Comp., § 15-3907; 1953 Comp., § 15-41-7; 2011, ch. 56, § 7.
ANNOTATIONSCross references. — For right of surveyor to enter private lands, see 61-23-30 NMSA 1978.
The 2011 amendment, effective December 31, 2012, authorized licensed professional surveyors appointed by boards of county commissioners to call upon local police officers if the surveyor is molested or prevented from performing the surveyor's official duties.