(a) Within the department is established a unit of peace officers to be known as conservation rangers. All such conservation rangers shall be at least 21 years of age. Such unit of peace officers shall include, but not be limited to, the commissioner and other supervisory personnel; provided, however, that the commissioner and the director of the division to which peace officer functions are assigned shall be excluded from the classified service under the State Merit System of Personnel Administration as provided for in Chapter 20 of Title 45 unless otherwise provided by law. The commissioner shall have the power to appoint such a number of conservation rangers of the state at large, as may be necessary to carry out the duties assigned to them, who shall be charged with the law enforcement responsibilities pertaining to the department.

(b) After a conservation ranger has accumulated 25 years of service with the department as a peace officer and upon leaving such department under honorable conditions, such conservation ranger shall be entitled as part of his compensation to retain his weapon and badge pursuant to regulations promulgated by the commissioner.