P.R. Laws tit. 24, § 2606
There is hereby transferred to the Department of Health the personnel, equipment, files, papers, records, unexpended balances of appropriations and other available funds, or which may be available, of the Department of the Treasury, devoted to and in connection with the fulfillment of the legal and administrative phase of §§ 1—20 and 22—63 of Act No. 48 of June 18, 1959, hereby repealed.
The personnel transferred to the Department of Health as well as that retained by the Department of the Treasury shall keep their status as well as every right and privilege they enjoyed at the time of making the transfer.
The transfer of functions from the Department of the Treasury to the Police of Puerto Rico by virtue of Act No. 116 of June 28, 1969, shall continue in force and shall not be affected by the approval of this act. All the personnel transferred to the Police of Puerto Rico by virtue of the said Act No. 116 are hereby transferred to the Department of Justice for the purposes that the Secretary of Justice may deem advisable with regard to the purposes of this chapter and the investigation personnel so transferred shall keep and may exercise in the discharge of the functions of investigations assigned to them by the Secretary of Justice, or by the officer designated by him therefor, the faculties conferred to them under the provisions of § 51 of Act No. 48 of June 18, 1959, which has been repealed and kept under the provisions of Act No. 116 of June 28, 1969, corresponding to an officer of public order, when so authorized by the Secretary of Justice or by the officer designated by him therefor, which include, without it being understood as a limitation, the faculty to have, possess, bear, transport and carry firearms under the provisions of the Weapons Law of Puerto Rico, Act Jan. 19, 1951, No. 17, the faculty to make arrests to comply and execute search warrants and subpoenas and the faculty to confiscate properties in accordance with the law. The investigation personnel so transferred to the Department of Justice may take sworn declarations and administer oaths during the investigations carried out when so authorized by the Secretary of Justice or by the officer designated by him therefor. There shall not be included in the transfer provided by this chapter those persons who have become members of the Police Force, as well as those other employees which, within the term of thirty (30) days from the approval of this act, have individually expressed their wish to continue rendering services as such employees of the Police of Puerto Rico. There shall also be transferred to the Department of Justice the records of the personnel and the unexpended balance of appropriations, items and other available funds of the Police of Puerto Rico in connection with the personnel transferred.
Any other investigation personnel that the Secretary of Justice may have appointed or appoints to deal with the traffic of unlawful controlled substances shall have in the discharge of the investigation functions, that may be assigned to them by the Secretary of Justice or by the officer designated by him, the faculties corresponding to those of an officer of public order when they be so authorized by the Secretary of Justice or by the officer designated by him, including, without it being understood as a limitation, the faculty to lawfully have, possess, bear, transport and carry firearms, to make arrests, to comply and execute search warrants and subpoenas and to confiscate properties pursuant to the law.
History —June 23, 1971, No. 4, p. 526, § 606; June 6, 1972, No. 89, p. 229, § 1.