§49-4-719. Juvenile probation officers; appointment; salary; facilities; expenses; duties; powers.

(a)(1) Each circuit court, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of Appeals and in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court of Appeals, shall appoint one or more juvenile probation officers and clerical assistants for the circuit. A probation officer or clerical assistant may not be related by blood or marriage to the appointing judge.

(2) The salary for juvenile probation officers and clerical assistants shall be determined and fixed by the Supreme Court of Appeals. All expenses and costs incurred by the juvenile probation officers and their staff shall be paid by the Supreme Court of Appeals in accordance with its rules. The county commission of each county shall provide adequate office facilities for juvenile probation officers and their staff. All equipment and supplies required by juvenile probation officers and their staff shall be provided by the Supreme Court of Appeals.

(b) In recognition of the duties of their employment supervising confinement and supervised release, and the inherent arrest powers for violation of the same which constitute law enforcement, state juvenile probation officers are determined to be qualified law-enforcement officers as that term is used in 18 U.S.C. § 926B.

(c) Any state juvenile probation officer may carry a concealed firearm for self-defense purposes pursuant to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 926B if the following criteria are met:

(1) The Supreme Court of Appeals has a written policy authorizing a state juvenile probation officer to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense purposes;

(2) There shall be in place in the Supreme Court of Appeals a requirement that state juvenile probation officers must annually qualify in the use of a firearm with standards which are equal to or exceed those required of sheriff’s deputies by the Law-Enforcement Professional Standards Program; and

(3) The Supreme Court of Appeals issues a photographic identification and certification card which identify the state juvenile probation officers as law-enforcement employees as that term is contemplated by 18 U.S.C. § 926B.

(d) Any policy instituted pursuant to this subsection includes provisions which:

(1) Preclude or remove a person from participation in the concealed firearm program;

(2) Preclude from participation persons prohibited by federal or state law from possessing or receiving a firearm and;

(3) Prohibit persons from carrying a firearm pursuant to the provisions of this subsection while in an impaired state as defined in §17C-5-2 of this code.

(e) Any state juvenile probation officer who participates in a program authorized by the provisions of this subsection is responsible, at his or her expense, for obtaining and maintaining a suitable firearm and ammunition.

(f) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting the amendments to this section during the 2022, regular session of the Legislature to authorize state juvenile probation officers wishing to do so to meet the requirements of the federal Law-Enforcement Officer’s Safety Act, 18 U.S.C. § 926B.

(g) The privileges authorized by the amendments to this section enacted during the 2022, regular session of the Legislature are wholly within the discretion of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

(h)The clerk of a court shall notify, if practicable, the chief probation officer of the county, or his or her designee, when a juvenile is brought before the court or judge for proceedings under this article. When notified, or if the probation officer otherwise obtains knowledge of such fact, he or she or one of his or her assistants shall:

(1) Make investigation of the case; and

(2) Furnish information and assistance that the court or judge may require.

 (i) (1) The Supreme Court of Appeals may develop a system of community-based juvenile probation sanctions and incentives to be used by probation officers in response to violations of terms and conditions of probation and to award incentives for positive behavior.

(2) The community-based juvenile probation sanctions and incentives may consist of a continuum of responses from the least restrictive to the most restrictive, designed to respond swiftly, proportionally, and consistently to violations of the terms and conditions of probation and to reward compliance therewith.

(3) The purpose of community-based juvenile probation sanctions and incentives is to reduce the amount of resources and time spent by the court addressing probation violations, to reduce the likelihood of a new status or delinquent act, and to encourage and reward positive behavior by the juvenile on probation prior to any attempt to place a juvenile in an out-of-home placement.