Section 712. The Pennsylvania State Police Force.--The various members of the Pennsylvania State Police are hereby authorized and empowered:
(a) To make arrests, without warrant, for all violations of the law, including laws regulating the use of the highways, which they may witness, and to serve and execute warrants issued by the proper local authorities. They shall have all the powers and prerogatives conferred by law upon members of the police force of cities of the first class, and upon constables of the Commonwealth;
(b) To act as game protectors, and as forest, fish, or fire wardens, and for the better performance of such duties,
(1) Seize all guns, boats, decoys, traps, dogs, game, fish, shooting paraphernalia, or hunting or fishing appliances or devices, used, taken, or had in possession, contrary to the laws of this State. Any article so seized shall be held subject to such disposition as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission or the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission or the Secretary of Environmental Resources may respectively determine.
(2) Seize and take possession of all birds, animals, or fish, which have been taken, caught or killed, or had in possession, or under control, or which have been shipped, or are about to be shipped, contrary to any law of this State.
(3) Search without warrant any boat, conveyance, vehicle or receptacle, when there is good reason to believe that any law has been violated, the enforcement or administration of which is imposed on or vested in the Pennsylvania Fish Commission or the Pennsylvania Game Commission or in the Department of Environmental Resources.
(4) Serve subpoenas issued before any examination, investigation, or trial had pursuant to any law as aforesaid.
(5) Purchase game or fish for the purpose of securing evidence.
((b) amended Dec. 3, 1970, P.L.834, No.275)
(712 amended Apr. 25, 1949, P.L.729, No.180)
Compiler's Note: Section 302(h) of Act 18 of 1995, which created the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and renamed the Department of Environmental Resources as the Department of Environmental Protection, provided that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall exercise the powers and duties conferred upon the Secretary of Environmental Resources by section 712.
Compiler's Note: The name of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, referred to in subsec. (b)(1) and (3), was changed to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission by Act 39 of 1991. See 30 Pa.C.S. § 308 (relating to designation of commission).