(a) The Virgin Islands Law Enforcement Planning Commission, (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Commission”) is established as an agency of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands, within the Virgin Islands Police Department for budgetary purposes only, subject to the jurisdiction of the Governor, and is charged with and empowered to carry out the functions and responsibilities provided for under the provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Public Law 90–351), the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (Public Law 93–415) and all acts amendatory of and supplementary thereto, which acts, and amendments and supplements are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Act”.
(b) The said Commission shall be composed as hereinafter provided:
(1) a supervisory board (hereinafter the “Board”) comprised of the advisory group appointed by the Governor pursuant to subsection (d)(1) of this section, which shall exercise supervisory responsibilities of the Commission only in conjunction with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended.
(2) an administrative-technical staff under the supervision of an Administrator who shall devote full time to the Commission's work.
(c)
(1) Members of the Board shall serve for four (4) years, except that of the members first appointed, a bare majority shall be appointed for four (4) year terms and the remainder shall be appointed for two (2) year terms.
(2) The Board shall annually elect one of its members as Chairman and such other officers as is deemed necessary to the proper functioning of the Board. The provisions of section 65a of this title shall govern the filling of vacancies on the Board.
(3) The Board shall promulgate such regulations pursuant to Title 3, chapter 35, Virgin Islands Code, as are necessary to conduct its affairs and to comply with provisions of Federal and Virgin Islands law.
(d)
(1) The Governor shall appoint an advisory group to the Commission when and as required by section 223(a)(3) of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 and all Acts amendatory of and supplemental thereto.
(2) The Governor shall appoint a full-time Administrator of the Law Enforcement Planning Commission who shall be an attorney or otherwise qualified by training and experience in the administration of criminal justice, and who shall also serve as the administrator of the staff and functions of the Commission.
(3) The Administrator, subject to the approval of the Board, only on matters concerning the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, shall enter into such contracts with independent contractors and shall, in accordance with the personnel merit system of the Virgin Islands, employ such staff as is necessary to discharge the Commission's functions and responsibilities.
(4) The positions of all staff personnel of the Commission with the exception of the Administrator and any other person employed in a position excepted from the career service in accordance with applicable law shall be in the career service of the Government.
(5) Personnel of existing departments may be utilized in performing Commission staff duties.
(6) The time limitations imposed on the Commission by section 303(a)(15) of P.L. 93–83, 87 Stat. 197, shall apply to all departments and agencies of the Executive Branch of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands and any request, requisition or application made to or by the Commission to or by any such department or agency shall be approved or disapproved in whole or in part no later than ninety days after receipt of such request, requisition or application. If not disapproved (and returned with the reasons for such disapproval, including the reasons for the disapproval of each fairly severable part of such request, requisition or application which is disapproved) within ninety days any part of such request, requisition or application which is not so disapproved shall be deemed approved.
(7) The Administrator is hereby authorized on behalf of the Commission to call upon any department, division, commission, office or agency of the Government of the Virgin Islands to supply such data, information or assistance as shall be necessary to the discharge of the responsibilities of the Commission. Each department, division, commission, office or agency of the Government of the United States Virgin Islands shall provide such data, information or assistance within a reasonable time upon request of the Commission, to the extent that such compliance is not inconsistent with law.
(e) The Commission shall be advisory to the Governor and shall be the state planning agency for the Virgin Islands for all purposes and effects of the Act and is specifically authorized to qualify, participate and operate as provided by the Act and by section 67, Title 3 of the Virgin Islands Code. The Commission shall:
(1) advise and assist the Governor in developing policies, plans, programs, and budgets for improving the coordination, administration and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in the Virgin Islands;
(2) prepare criminal justice plans on behalf of the Governor. Such plans, and any substantial modification thereto, shall be submitted to the Legislature for its advisory review of the goals, priorities and policies contained therein. Such plans, to be periodically updated, shall be based on an analysis of the Virgin Islands' criminal justice needs and problems and shall be in conformance with the Virgin Islands and other appropriate regulations;
(3) establish goals, priorities and standards for the reduction of crime and delinquency and the improvement of the administration of justice in the Virgin Islands;
(4) recommend legislation to the Governor and Legislature in the criminal justice field;
(5) monitor and evaluate programs and projects, funded in whole or in part by the United States Virgin Islands Government, aimed at reducing crime and delinquency and improving the administration of justice;
(6) cooperate with and render technical assistance to the United States Virgin Islands Government and private agencies relating to the criminal justice system;
(7) apply for, contract for, receive and expend for its purposes any appropriations or grants from the Virgin Islands, the Federal Government, or any other source public or private;
(8) have the authority to collect from any governmental entity information, data, reports, statistics or such other material which is necessary to carry out the Commission's functions; and
(9) perform such other duties as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.