<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 5-1. - Animal services unit created.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               There is created the animal services unit of the sheriff's office of the county, which
               shall be composed of the sheriff's support services division commander and such employees
               as shall be determined by the sheriff and funded by the board of commissioners. The
               support services division commander and employees shall be appointed and compensated
               in accordance with the personnel policies of the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The animal services unit shall designate employees or agents enforcing this chapter
               as animal services officers. In the performance of their duties, animal services officers
               shall have all the powers, authority and immunity granted under this chapter and by
               the general laws of this state to enforce the provisions of this chapter, and the
               General Statutes as they relate to the care, treatment, control or impounding of animals.
               Should any animal services officer also be a deputy sheriff, he or she shall also
               have all the power, authority, and immunity granted sworn law enforcement officers
               under general laws of this state.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Except as may be otherwise provided by statutes, local laws or ordinances, no officer,
               agent or employee of the county charged with the duty of enforcing the provisions
               of this chapter or other applicable laws shall be personally liable for any damage
               that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted
               in the discharge of such duties unless he acts with actual malice.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with, hinder or molest any animal
               services officer, police officer, veterinarian or other duly appointed agent while
               in the performance of any duty authorized by this chapter or to seek to release any
               animal in the custody of such agent, except in the manner as herein provided. Each
               animal service officer while performing his respective duties shall wear an identification
               insignia of size and design to be determined by the sheriff.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (e)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Animal service officers, if not sworn law enforcement, shall not be authorized to
               carry on their person any firearms of any kind unless otherwise authorized by the
               sheriff. Animal services officers may store at the animal shelter or carry in departmental
               vehicles firearms approved for use and use such firearms when necessary to enforce
               sections of this chapter or under applicable laws for the control of wild, dangerous,
               vicious or diseased animals.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Code 1978, Â§ 3-1; Ord. of 12-20-2010, Â§ 1; Ord. of 3-12-2012)
               </p>
            <p class="refstatelaw0" block_type="hang"><b>State Law referenceâ€” </b>
               Appointment of animal services officers authorized, G.S. 67-30 et seq.
               </p></div>