Section 42-9-9. Board employees; retention of badges and weapons

   (a) The board may appoint such clerical, stenographic, supervisory, and expert assistants and may establish such qualifications for its employees as it deems necessary. In its discretion, the board may discharge such employees.

(b) A certified parole officer leaving the service of the board under honorable conditions who has accumulated 20 or more years of service with the board as a certified parole officer shall be entitled as part of such employee's compensation to retain his or her board issued badge. A certified parole officer employed with the board who is killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to have his or her board issued badge given to a surviving family member. Where a certified parole officer leaves the service of the board due to a disability that arose in the line of duty and such disability prevents the parole officer from further serving as a peace officer, then such disabled parole officer shall be entitled to retain his or her board issued badge regardless of the officer's number of years of service with the board.

(c) An employee leaving the service of the board under honorable conditions who has accumulated 20 or more years of service with the board as a certified officer shall be entitled as part of such employee's compensation to retain his or her board issued weapon.

(d) The board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this Code section.

Ga. L. 1943, p. 185, § 9; Ga. L. 2008, p. 285, § 1/SB 502; Ga. L. 2013, p. 82, § 2/HB 482.