Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-2-7-201

duties.

A. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs

shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of

the Senate. The Executive Director shall serve at the pleasure of

the Governor and may be removed or replaced without cause.

Compensation for the Executive Director shall be determined pursuant

to the Governor. The Executive Director may be removed from office

by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members elected to and

constituting each chamber of the Legislature.

B. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs

shall be qualified for such position by character, ability,

education, training, and successful administrative experience in one

of the following: Corrections, juvenile justice, juvenile

delinquency, criminal justice, law, police science, criminology,

psychology, sociology, administration, education, or a related

social science.

C. The Executive Director shall provide for the administration

of the Office of Juvenile Affairs and shall:

1. Be the executive officer and supervise the activities of the

Office of Juvenile Affairs;

2. Pursuant to legislative authorization employ, discharge,

appoint or contract with, and fix the duties and compensation of

such assistants, attorneys, law enforcement officers, probation

officers, psychologists, social workers, medical professionals,

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 397

administrative, clerical and technical, investigators, aides and

such other personnel, either on a full-time, part-time, fee or

contractual basis, as in the judgment and discretion of the

Executive Director shall be deemed necessary in the performance or

carrying out of any of the purposes, objectives, responsibilities,

or statutory provisions relating to the Office of Juvenile Affairs,

or to assist the Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile

Affairs in the performance of official duties and functions;

3. Establish internal policies and procedures for the proper

and efficient administration of the Office of Juvenile Affairs; and

4. Exercise all incidental powers which are necessary and

proper to implement the purposes of the Office of Juvenile Affairs

pursuant to the Oklahoma Juvenile Code.

D. The Executive Director shall employ an attorney to be

designated the "General Counsel" who shall be the legal advisor for

the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Except as provided in this

subsection, the General Counsel is authorized to appear for and

represent the Board and Office in any litigation that may arise in

the discharge of the duties of the Board and Office.

It shall continue to be the duty of the Attorney General to give

an official opinion to the Executive Director of the Office of

Juvenile Affairs and the Office of Juvenile Affairs and to prosecute

and defend actions therefor, if requested to do so. The Attorney

General may levy and collect costs, expenses of litigation and a

reasonable attorney fee for such legal services from the Office.

The Office shall not contract for representation by private legal

counsel unless approved by the Attorney General. Such contract for

private legal counsel shall be in the best interests of the state.

The Attorney General shall be notified by the Office of Juvenile

Affairs or its counsel of all lawsuits against the Office of

Juvenile Affairs or officers or employees thereof, that seek

injunctive relief which would impose obligations requiring the

expenditure of funds in excess of unencumbered monies in the

agency's appropriations or beyond the current fiscal year. The

Attorney General shall review any such cases and may represent the

interests of the state, if the Attorney General considers it to be

in the best interest of the state to do so, in which case the

Attorney General shall be paid as provided in this subsection.

Representation of multiple defendants in such actions may, at the
in the

agency's appropriations or beyond the current fiscal year. The

Attorney General shall review any such cases and may represent the

interests of the state, if the Attorney General considers it to be

in the best interest of the state to do so, in which case the

Attorney General shall be paid as provided in this subsection.

Representation of multiple defendants in such actions may, at the

discretion of the Attorney General, be divided with counsel for the

Office as necessary to avoid conflicts of interest.

E. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs

shall have the authority to commission certified employees within

the Office of Juvenile Affairs as peace officers. The authority of

employees so commissioned shall only include the authority to

investigate crimes committed against the Office or crimes committed

in the course of any program administered by the Office. Employees

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 398

so commissioned shall also have the authority to serve and execute

process, bench warrants, and other court orders in any judicial or

administrative proceeding in which the agency is a party or

participant. Use and possession of firearms for this purpose only

shall be permitted. To become qualified as peace officers for the

commission, employees shall first obtain a certificate as provided

for in Section 3311 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

F. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs,

based upon rules established by the Board of Juvenile Affairs, shall

have the authority to appoint and commission campus police for

secure juvenile facilities and their adjacent grounds under the

jurisdiction of the Office of Juvenile Affairs in the same manner

and with the same powers as campus police appointed by governing

boards of state institutions for higher education under the

provisions of Section 360.15 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma

Statutes.

G. In the event of the Executive Director's temporary absence,

the Executive Director may delegate the exercise of such powers and

duties to a designee during the Executive Director's absence. In

the event of a vacancy in the position of Executive Director, the

Governor shall appoint a new Executive Director. The Board may

designate an interim or acting Executive Director who is authorized

to exercise such powers and duties until a permanent Executive

Director is employed.