Peace officers: correctional officers: parole agents.

Under existing law any member of the Office of Correctional Safety of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is a peace officer if his or her primary duties are the investigation and apprehension of inmates, wards, parolees, parole violators, or escapees from state institutions, among other duties, as provided. Under existing law parole officers of the department are peace officers but may only carry a firearm if approved by the director of the department on a case-by-case or unit-by-unit basis. This bill would include a member of the Division of Adult Parole Operations or the Division of Juvenile Facilities of the department in the same category of peace officers as a member of the Office of Correctional Safety if his or her primary duties are those described above for a member of the Office of Correctional Safety to qualify as a peace officer, with the additional requirement that the peace officer's duties also include the enforcement of conditions of parole and the rendering of mutual aid to any other law enforcement agency. This bill would make conforming and technical changes.