Pennsylvania Statutes Title 16 P.S. Counties § 4440. Appointment; duties and compensation of county detectives

(a) The district attorney may appoint one chief county detective, an assistant chief county detective, and as many county detectives, sergeant, special county detectives and junior county detectives as the salary board shall fix.

(b) County detectives shall at all times be subject to the orders of the district attorney, and shall investigate and make report to the district attorney as to the conduct in office of magistrates, constables, deputy constables and other officers connected with the administration of criminal justice, to make investigations, and endeavor to obtain such evidence as may be required by the district attorney in any criminal case, and perform such other duties as the district attorney may direct. Said detectives shall be general police officers and shall have all powers now conferred on constables by existing laws of this Commonwealth, so far as they relate to crime or criminal procedure, and they shall serve subpoenas in cases in which the Commonwealth is a party in a court of record.

(c) Said chief county detective, assistant chief county detective, county detectives, sergeant, special county detectives and junior county detectives shall not be entitled to receive any fees whatsoever, but shall each receive such salary as shall be fixed by the salary board, together with all necessary traveling expenses, which said salary and expenses, having been verified by affidavit of the chief county detective, assistant chief county detective, county detective, sergeant, special county detective or junior county detective incurring the same, and approved by the district attorney, shall be paid out of the treasury of the county, on a certificate issued by the district attorney directed to the controller of the county, who shall order warrants for said amounts according to law.