Tennessee Code Title 11. Natural Areas and Recreation § 11-3-107

(b)(1) Employees of the division of parks and recreation, when properly trained and qualified, may be commissioned by the commissioner of environment and conservation as law enforcement officers. When so commissioned, they shall have all of the police powers necessary to enforce all state laws, rules and regulations, within the state parks, state forests, state natural areas, all other state-owned areas under the jurisdiction of the division, and all recreational areas which are administered or managed by the division under lease, easement or other agreement with any public or private owner of the property. The commissioned employees of the division shall have all police powers necessary to apprehend and arrest any person within the state, for any violation of state law or rule or regulation of the division committed on any state park or other area described above. They shall enforce the laws, rules and regulations and maintain order, for the protection of state property and the public welfare. They shall have the right to carry firearms or other arms while on duty as commissioned law enforcement officers of the division. It is the responsibility of the division to assure that law enforcement duties are pursued with the utmost awareness and care and not to the detriment of the primary responsibilities of rangers and managers, which are to provide for visitor information and education, to manage and maintain park resources and personnel and to conduct recreation programs.

(2) The employees commissioned under subdivision (b)(1) may also provide both law enforcement and search and rescue assistance outside of the areas described in subdivision (b)(1) at the request of federal, state, or local officials if such assistance is necessary for the protection of life, health, or safety. For the purposes of rendering such assistance, the commissioned employees shall have all the powers and protections of a law enforcement officer throughout the state.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding title 12, chapter 2, part 4, when the division of parks and recreation makes a determination to retire an equine from service, the park ranger, ranger naturalist, park manager or any other similar employee who has used the equine to carry out such person's duties as a law enforcement officer or as an employee of the division of parks and recreation, may take possession of the equine upon paying to the division of parks and recreation the value assigned to the equine pursuant to subdivision (c)(3).

(2) Upon taking possession of a retired equine pursuant to subdivision (c)(1), the park ranger, ranger naturalist, park manager or any other similar employee shall be responsible for all costs associated with maintaining such equine.

(3) The division of parks and recreation is authorized to promulgate rules in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, necessary to carry out this subsection (c) including establishing a value for the equine at the time the decision is made to retire the equine from service.