§ 70. Capitol Police Department
(a) Creation. The Capitol Police Department is created within the Office of the Sergeant at Arms. The Sergeant at Arms shall appoint and may remove, at his or her pleasure, individuals as Capitol Police officers, one of whom shall be appointed to serve as Chief. All such positions shall be exempt State employees. The Chief shall supervise the officer force under the direction of the Sergeant at Arms. Such appointments and all oaths or affirmations shall be in writing and filed with the Sergeant at Arms. An officer shall also serve as a Deputy Sergeant at Arms and as a notary public pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 442.
(b) Powers; training.
(1) A Capitol Police officer shall have all the same powers and authority as sheriffs and other law enforcement officers anywhere in the State, which shall include the authority to arrest persons and enforce the civil and criminal laws, keep the peace, provide security, and serve civil and criminal process. For this purpose, a Capitol Police officer shall subscribe to the same oaths required for sheriffs.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a Capitol Police officer shall be a Level II or Level III law enforcement officer certified by the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council pursuant to the provisions of 20 V.S.A. chapter 151, except that the Chief of the Capitol Police shall be a Level III certified law enforcement officer.
(c) Coordination of Capitol Complex security. The Capitol Police Department shall provide security within the State House and assist the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services in providing security and law enforcement services within the Capitol Complex, pursuant to the memorandum of understanding required by 29 V.S.A. § 171(f). (Added 1999, No. 29, § 46, eff. May 19, 1999; amended 1999, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 46, eff. May 24, 2000; 2011, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2013, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. July 1, 2015; 2015, No. 2, § 1, eff. March 12, 2015; 2015, No. 2, § 2; 2015, No. 88 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 6, 2016; 2017, No. 87 (Adj. Sess.), § 56, eff. Feb. 13, 2018.)