Conn. Gen. Stat. § 26-5 (2026)

The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall appoint such number of conservation officers as may be necessary for the efficient execution of the duties of the department under section 26-6. The commissioner may supplement the regular conservation officer force by appointing as special conservation officer any employee of the department or any sworn federal law enforcement officer of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service, provided such federal officer shall not be considered an employee of the state and may only exercise such officer's authority pursuant to section 26-6 when working with a full-time conservation officer. The commissioner may also appoint any lake patrolman as a special conservation officer solely for the purpose of enforcing boating laws within such patrolman's jurisdiction, provided such patrolman shall not be considered an employee of the state, and further provided that such patrolman has completed a police training course at a Police Officer Standards and Training Council approved training academy. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no such lake patrolman shall carry a firearm while in the performance of such patrolman's duties as a special conservation officer unless the board of selectmen of the town or towns in which the lake on which the lake patrolman serves is located approves such carrying of a firearm, or in the case of any town having no board of selectmen, the lake patrolman obtains the approval of the legislative body of such town or towns in which the lake is located. Each conservation officer shall be certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council in accordance with the provisions of section 7-294d not later than one year after appointment. Each special conservation officer shall be certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council in accordance with the provisions of section 7-294d or complete an equivalent course approved by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Special conservation officers who are employees of the department shall be entitled to the same benefits to which conservation officers are entitled under the provisions of section 5-142, and such an appointment shall be deemed not to be in conflict with any of the provisions of chapter 67. In addition to their salaries, conservation officers and special conservation officers who are employees of the department shall be reimbursed for all expenses incurred in performance of official duty.

(1949 Rev., S. 4865; 1953, 1955, S. 2457d; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 210; P.A. 74-245, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 81-227, S. 4; P.A. 06-70, S. 1; 06-76, S. 30; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 23-196, S. 1.)

History: 1971 act replaced references to board of fisheries and game and its director with references to commissioner and department of environmental protection; P.A. 74-245 referred to department's duties under Sec. 26-6 rather than under entire title, authorized appointment of patrolmen who complete a police training course and deleted provision which had allowed appointment of caretakers or watchmen at state parks, game refuges, etc. as special officers or patrolmen; P.A. 77-614 replaced state police commissioner with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 81-227 required conservation officers, special conservation officers, and patrolmen to complete police training courses; P.A. 06-70 and 06-76 both added identical provisions re appointment of sworn federal law enforcement officers of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service and lake patrolmen as special conservation officers, and P.A. 06-76 also added provision prohibiting lake patrolmen from carrying a firearm unless approved by board of selectmen or legislative body, both effective May 30, 2006; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 23-196 replaced lake patrolman reference to complete a state police training school or an equivalent course approved by Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection with reference to complete a police training course at a Police Officer Standards and Training Council approved training academy, replaced conservation officer reference to completing a police training course at the state police training school or an equivalent course approved by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection with reference to being certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council not later than one year after appointment and added provision re each special conservation officer be certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council or complete an equivalent course approved by Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and made technical changes, effective June 29, 2023.

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