(a) (1) The governing body of any city having a population, according to the 1970 Federal Decennial Census, of at least twenty-one thousand (21,000) but less than twenty-four thousand (24,000) may create by ordinance a department of public safety.
(2) The department of public safety shall consist of a fire division and a public safety division.
(b) Upon the creation of the department:
(1) The existing police department shall be abolished and transferred to the public safety division; and
(2) The existing fire department shall be abolished and transferred to the fire division.
(c) (1) The officers of the public safety division shall have the duties and authority of law enforcement officers and shall also perform firefighting duties as directed by the executive officer of the public safety division.
(2) Fire division personnel shall perform only firefighting duties and emergency medical service duties.
(d) (1) The civil service commission shall appoint the director of the department of public safety, who shall be the chief executive officer of the department.
(2) The executive officer of the public safety division and the executive officer of the fire division of municipalities subject to the civil service system law in § 14-51-301 et seq. shall hereafter be appointed as prescribed by § 14-51-301 et seq.
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