The department of rehabilitation and correction may make any investigations that are necessary in the performance of its duties, and to that end the director of rehabilitation and correction shall have the same power as a judge of a county court to administer oaths and to enforce the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books or papers.
The department shall keep a record of the investigations pursuant to the record retention schedule approved by the department of administrative services.
Witnesses shall be paid the fees and mileage provided for under section 119.094 of the Revised Code, but no officer or employee of the institution under investigation is entitled to such fees.
Any judge of the probate court or of the court of common pleas, upon application of the department, may compel the attendance of witnesses, the production of books or papers, and the giving of testimony before the department, by a judgment for contempt or otherwise, in the same manner as in cases before courts of common pleas.
R.C. §5120.30