Section 270:12-c Auxiliary Marine Patrol. - New Hampshire Statutes

   I. The commissioner of safety may establish a force of individuals to assist the director of safety services and the marine patrol officers to patrol the various bodies of water in the state. Any person that patrols any water body on behalf of the department shall either be a certified marine patrol officer or an auxiliary officer appointed under the provisions of this section.
   II. An individual appointed by the commissioner as an auxiliary officer under this section shall be either a paid part-time employee of the department or a volunteer, and may be, but shall not be required to be, a certified police officer. An auxiliary officer shall be subject to such training requirements as the commissioner shall deem necessary.
   III. The report of an auxiliary officer to any peace officer shall be prima facie evidence relative to the violation or offense reported.
   IV. The commissioner shall furnish suitable equipment to an auxiliary officer, as he may deem necessary, to distinguish the officer as an individual acting in an official capacity.
   V. Any individual who is a volunteer and appointed under this section as an auxiliary officer who is actually performing the duties of an auxiliary officer on a body of water in the state shall be considered a state employee for the purpose of defense and indemnification from civil suits under RSA 99-D; provided, however, that such person shall not be indemnified from any civil suit arising out of a criminal act.

Source. 1989, 143:1, eff. May 17, 1989. 1999, 193:4, eff. July 1, 1999.