New Hampshire Department of Safety
Encyclopedia
The State of New Hampshire Department of Safety is a government agency of the U.S. state
of New Hampshire
. The Department of Safety is under the executive direction of Commissioner of Safety John J. Barthelmes. The main office of the Department of Safety is located at the James H. Hayes Safety Building in Concord
.
, and Safety Services. In 1987, the Department added the Division of Enforcement, Division of Administration, Bureau of Hearings and the Bureau of Fire Safety. On January 1, 1989, the Bureau of Common Carriers was transferred from the Department of Transportation
.
On July 1, 1989, the Division of Fire Service, consisting of the Bureau of Fire Safety, the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, and the Fire Standards and Training Commission, and became the sixth division of the department. On August 1, 1994, the Division of Fire Service was restructured into two Divisions: the Division of Fire Standards and Training and the Division of Fire Safety.
On October 1, 1996, the Division of Enforcement was eliminated and all former positions and duties were merged into the Division of State Police Bureau of Enforcement. On November 19, 1999, the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Community and Public Health and became the Division of Emergency Medical Services.
On July 1, 1999, the Division of Motor Vehicles was approved to hire its own police officers (entitled Inspectors) to reclaim the law enforcement functions that were merged over to the Division of State Police in 1996.
On July 1, 2002, the Emergency Management Agency was transferred from the Office of the Governor and became the Division of Fire Safety and Emergency Management with two Bureaus: Fire Safety and Emergency Management. Also, the Division of Emergency Medical Services merged with the Division of Fire Standards and Training, becoming the Division of Fire Standards and Training and Emergency Medical Services.
On July 17, 2002, the Bureau of Highway Patrol in the Division of Motor Vehicles was created. All Inspectors were retitled to Highway Patrol
Officers.
On September 4, 2003, the Bureau of Emergency Communications was transferred from the Department of Administrative Services in the Division of Fire Safety and Emergency Management. The State Fire Marshal became the Bureau Chief of Fire Safety. Also in 2003, the Division of Information Technology was abolished by the General Court
when it established the state Office of Information Technology.
On January 1, 2004, the Division of State Police - Forensic Laboratory received the Department of Corrections
Drug Testing Laboratory and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health's laboratory for the testing of blood, breath, and urine to determine alcohol and controlled drug content; and State Toxicologist office.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The Department of Safety is under the executive direction of Commissioner of Safety John J. Barthelmes. The main office of the Department of Safety is located at the James H. Hayes Safety Building in Concord
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
.
Duties
The duties of the Department of Safety, as provided in RSA 21-P:2, are:- Enforcing the criminal law.
- Administering and enforcing laws relative to motor vehicles and drivers.
- Assuring fire, building, and equipment safety.
- Promoting vehicle and highway safety.
- Administering and enforcing laws relative to emergency medical servicesEmergency medical servicesEmergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
.
History
In 1961, the Department of Safety was established by the General Court and consisted of the divisions of Motor Vehicles, State PoliceState police
State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
, and Safety Services. In 1987, the Department added the Division of Enforcement, Division of Administration, Bureau of Hearings and the Bureau of Fire Safety. On January 1, 1989, the Bureau of Common Carriers was transferred from the Department of Transportation
New Hampshire Department of Transportation
The State of New Hampshire Department of Transportation is a government agency of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The NHDOT is under the executive direction of Commissioner of Transportation George Campbell. The main office of the NHDOT is located in the J.O...
.
On July 1, 1989, the Division of Fire Service, consisting of the Bureau of Fire Safety, the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, and the Fire Standards and Training Commission, and became the sixth division of the department. On August 1, 1994, the Division of Fire Service was restructured into two Divisions: the Division of Fire Standards and Training and the Division of Fire Safety.
On October 1, 1996, the Division of Enforcement was eliminated and all former positions and duties were merged into the Division of State Police Bureau of Enforcement. On November 19, 1999, the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Community and Public Health and became the Division of Emergency Medical Services.
On July 1, 1999, the Division of Motor Vehicles was approved to hire its own police officers (entitled Inspectors) to reclaim the law enforcement functions that were merged over to the Division of State Police in 1996.
On July 1, 2002, the Emergency Management Agency was transferred from the Office of the Governor and became the Division of Fire Safety and Emergency Management with two Bureaus: Fire Safety and Emergency Management. Also, the Division of Emergency Medical Services merged with the Division of Fire Standards and Training, becoming the Division of Fire Standards and Training and Emergency Medical Services.
On July 17, 2002, the Bureau of Highway Patrol in the Division of Motor Vehicles was created. All Inspectors were retitled to Highway Patrol
Highway patrol
A highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...
Officers.
On September 4, 2003, the Bureau of Emergency Communications was transferred from the Department of Administrative Services in the Division of Fire Safety and Emergency Management. The State Fire Marshal became the Bureau Chief of Fire Safety. Also in 2003, the Division of Information Technology was abolished by the General Court
New Hampshire General Court
The General Court of New Hampshire is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The lower house is the New Hampshire House of Representatives with 400 members. The upper house is the New Hampshire Senate with 24 members...
when it established the state Office of Information Technology.
On January 1, 2004, the Division of State Police - Forensic Laboratory received the Department of Corrections
New Hampshire Department of Corrections
New Hampshire Department of Corrections is an executive agency of the U.S. state of New Hampshire; charged with overseeing the state correctional facilities, supervising probation and parolees, and serving in an advisory capacity in the prevention of crime and delinquency...
Drug Testing Laboratory and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health's laboratory for the testing of blood, breath, and urine to determine alcohol and controlled drug content; and State Toxicologist office.
Divisions
The Department of Safety is made up of seven divisions along with their respective bureaus:- Commissioner's Office - headed by Commissioner Barthelmes along with Assistant Commissioner of Safety Earl M. Sweeney who oversees the Bureau of Hearings, Homeland Security Grants, the Management Team, Public Information Officer and Railroad Police.
- Division of Administration - Bureau of Road Toll
- Division of Emergency Services, Communications, and Management - Bureau of Emergency Management and Bureau of Emergency Communication (911)
- Division of Fire Safety - Fire Investigations Unit, Fireworks and Modular Buildings Standards Program
- Division of Fire Standards and Training and Emergency Medical Services - Bureau of Fire Academy and Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
- Division of Motor Vehicles - Bureau of Registration, Driver Education, Bureau of Driver Licensing, Bureau of Financial Responsibility, Bureau of Title and Anti-Theft, Emissions, International Registration Plan, Motorcycle Rider Program, New Motor Vehicle Arbitration (Lemon Law), Non-US Citizen
- Division of Safety Services - Boating Education Program, Bureau of Marine PatrolNew Hampshire Marine PatrolThe New Hampshire Marine Patrol is a division of the NH Department of Safety. NHMP has jurisdiction on any New Hampshire water body or more , of river, and approximately of coastline of the Atlantic Ocean...
- Division of State PoliceNew Hampshire State PoliceThe New Hampshire State Police is a state police agency within the Department of Safety of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Police employees of the State Police are ex officio constables and have the primary role of patrolling the state highways, enforcing the laws and regulations of the highway...
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire State PoliceNew Hampshire State PoliceThe New Hampshire State Police is a state police agency within the Department of Safety of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Police employees of the State Police are ex officio constables and have the primary role of patrolling the state highways, enforcing the laws and regulations of the highway...
- New Hampshire Marine PatrolNew Hampshire Marine PatrolThe New Hampshire Marine Patrol is a division of the NH Department of Safety. NHMP has jurisdiction on any New Hampshire water body or more , of river, and approximately of coastline of the Atlantic Ocean...