§7-25-23. Resort Area Rangers.

(a) A board is hereby authorized to appoint bona fide residents of this state to act as resort area rangers within its respective resort area district upon any premises which are part of said district, subject to the conditions and restrictions imposed by this section.

(b) Before performing the duties of ranger, each appointed person shall qualify for the position of ranger in the same manner as is required of county officers by the taking and filing of an oath of office as required by section three, article one, chapter six of this code and by posting an official bond as required by section one, article two, chapter six of this code. To facilitate the performance of the duties of a ranger, a ranger may carry a firearm or other dangerous weapon while the ranger is on duty.

(c) It is the duty of any person appointed and qualified as a ranger hereunder to preserve law and order on any premises which are part of a resort area district. For this purpose, the ranger shall be considered to be a law-enforcement officer in accordance with the provisions of section one, article twenty-nine, chapter thirty of this code and, as to offenses committed within those areas, have and may exercise all the powers and authority and are subject to all the requirements and responsibilities of a law-enforcement officer. The assignment of rangers to the duties authorized by this section may not supersede in any way the authority or duty of other peace officers to preserve law and order on those premises.

(d) The salary of all rangers shall be paid by the board. The board shall furnish each ranger with an official uniform to be worn while on duty and shall furnish and require each ranger while on duty to wear a shield with an appropriate inscription and to carry credentials certifying the person's identity and authority as a ranger.

(e) The board at its pleasure may revoke the authority of any ranger. The chairman of the board shall report the termination of employment of a ranger by filing a notice to that effect in the office of the clerk of the county in which the ranger's oath of office was filed and in the case of a ranger licensed to carry a firearm or other dangerous weapon, by notifying the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the license for the firearm or other dangerous weapon was granted.