Federal · Title 16 — Conservation

16 U.S.C. § 831c: Law enforcement

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute authorizes a board to designate corporate employees as law enforcement agents with powers to arrest, investigate federal offenses, execute warrants, and carry firearms within specified jurisdictional areas.

Read the full statutory text
The Board may designate employees of the corporation to act as law enforcement agents in the area of jurisdiction described in subsection (c). A law enforcement agent designated under subsection (a) shall maintain law and order and protect persons and property in the area of jurisdiction described in subsection (c) and protect property and officials and employees of the corporation outside that area. make arrests without warrant for any offense against the United States committed in the agent’s presence, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if the agent has probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such a felony; execute any warrant or other process issued by a court or officer of competent jurisdiction for the enforcement of any Federal law or regulation issued pursuant to law in connection with the investigation of an offense described in subparagraph (A); conduct an investigation of an offense described in subparagraph (A) in the absence of investigation of the offense by any Federal law enforcement agency having investigative jurisdiction over the offense or with the concurrence of that agency; and carry firearms in carrying out any activity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C). on any lands or facilities owned or leased by the corporation or within such adjoining areas in the vicinities of such lands or facilities as may be determined by the Board under subsection (e); and when the person to be arrested is in the process of fleeing from such lands, facilities, or adjoining areas to avoid arrest; in conjunction with the protection of property or officials or employees of the corporation on or within lands or facilities other than those owned or leased by the corporation; or in cooperation with other Federal, State, or local law enforcement agencies. limit or restrict the investigative jurisdiction of any Federal law enforcement agency; or affect any right of a State or a political subdivision thereof to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction on or within lands or facilities owned or leased by the corporation. The Board shall determine and may from time-to-time modify the adjoining areas for each facility or particular area of land, or for individual categories of such facilities or lands, for the purposes of subsection (c)(1). A notice and description of each adjoining area determination or modification of a determination made under paragraph (1) shall be published in the Federal Register. The Board, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall adopt qualification and training standards for law enforcement agents designated under subsection (a). A law enforcement agent designated under subsection (a) shall not be considered to be a law enforcement officer of the United States for the purposes of any other law, and no law enforcement agent designated under subsection (a) or other employee of the corporation shall receive an increase in compensation solely on account of this section. The duties and powers of law enforcement agents designated under subsection (a) that are described in subsection (b) shall be exercised in accordance with guidelines approved by the Attorney General.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.