§20-7-1d. Awarding service weapon upon retirement; disposal of service weapon when replaced due to routine wear; and furnishing uniform for burial.

(a) Upon the retirement of any full-time salaried natural resources police officer, the chief natural resources police officer shall award to the retiring natural resources police officer his or her service weapon, without charge, upon determining:

(1) That the natural resources police officer is retiring honorably with at least 25 years of recognized law-enforcement service as determined by the chief natural resources police officer; or

(2) That the natural resources police officer is retiring with less than 25 years of service based upon a determination that he or she is totally physically disabled as a result of service with the division.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of §20-7-1d(a) of this code, the chief natural resources police officer may not award a service weapon to any natural resources police officer who has been declared mentally incompetent by a licensed physician or any court of law, or who, in the opinion of the chief natural resources police officer, constitutes a danger to any person or the community.

(c) The disposal of law-enforcement service weapons, when replaced due to routine wear, does not fall under the jurisdiction of the agency for surplus property, within the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration. The chief natural resources police officer may offer these surplus weapons for sale to any active or retired Division of Natural Resources law-enforcement officer, at fair market value, with the proceeds from any sales used to offset the cost of the new weapons.

(d) Upon the death of any current or honorably retired natural resources police officer, the chief natural resources police officer shall, upon request of the deceased officer’s family, furnish a full uniform for burial of the deceased officer.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this section does not apply to weapons obtained through the federal donation program operated by the West Virginia State Agency for Surplus Property.