(a) The superintendent shall maintain a special unit of the State Police called the Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit. The purpose of the unit is to focus on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting criminal child abuse and neglect cases, in coordination with Child Protective Services, established pursuant to §49-2-802 of this code. The unit shall assist other State Police members with child abuse or neglect investigations as well as the Division of Child Protective Services. The unit may provide training, technical expertise, and coordination of services for other law-enforcement agencies, Child Protective Services caseworkers, prosecuting attorneys, and multidisciplinary teams established pursuant to the provisions of §49-4-402 of this code, to identify, investigate, report, and prosecute criminal child abuse and criminal child neglect cases. However, nothing in this section may be construed to mean that the unit will assume the duties or investigations of other State Police members or other law-enforcement officers.
(b) The unit shall consist, at a minimum, six members of the State Police. The superintendent shall assign a unit director and five regional members, to be dedicated and trained to assist county Child Protective Services Offices and caseworkers in investigating and coordinating with other law-enforcement personnel, cases of suspected child abuse or neglect. Cases to be investigated include allegations received pursuant to §49-2-803 of this code, and any other credible child abuse or neglect allegations.
(c) The unit director’s duties include:
(1) Overseeing State Police members assigned to the unit;