§15-10-3. Definitions.

For purposes of this article only, and unless a different meaning plainly is required:

"Criminal justice enforcement personnel" means those persons:

(1) Within the state criminal justice system who are actually employed as members of the State Police, members of the Division of Protective Services, natural resources police officers, chiefs of police, police of incorporated municipalities, and county sheriffs and their deputies whose primary duties are investigating crime and apprehending criminals; and

(2) Within an adjoining state’s criminal justice system who are actually employed as members of a law-enforcement agency and whose primary duties are investigating crime and apprehending criminals.

"Head of a law-enforcement agency" means the Superintendent of the State Police, the Director of the Division of Protective Services, the chief natural resources police officer of the Division of Natural Resources, a chief of police of an incorporated municipality, a county sheriff, or the Director of the Division of Forestry.

"Head of campus police" means the superintendent or administrative head of state or local law-enforcement officers employed as campus police officers at any state institutions of higher education in accordance with the provisions of §18B-4-5 of this code.

"Law-enforcement agency" means an agency of the United States, a state, or a political subdivision of a state, authorized by law to enforce, engage in, or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation of criminal law to include the State Police, Division of Protective Services, the Natural Resources Police of the Division of Natural Resources, a police department of an incorporated municipality, the Office of the Sheriff of any West Virginia county, or the Division of Forestry.

"State or local law-enforcement officer" means any duly authorized member of a law-enforcement agency who is authorized to maintain public peace and order, prevent and detect crime, make arrests, and enforce the laws of the state or any county or municipality thereof, other than parking ordinances, and includes persons employed as campus police officers at state institutions of higher education in accordance with the provisions of §18B-4-5 of this code, although those institutions may not be considered law-enforcement agencies.