(a) The director is authorized to retain on a contractual basis such persons as he shall deem necessary to detect and apprehend violators of the criminal statutes of this state pertaining to the possession, sale, or use of narcotics or other dangerous drugs.

(b) Those persons contracting with the director pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall be known as narcotics agents.

(c) The investigative services provided for in this Code section shall be designed to support local law enforcement efforts. The director shall, with the advice and consent of the board, appoint a three-member priority committee comprised of a representative from the Georgia Sheriffs Association, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, and the District Attorneys Association. The committee shall establish priorities for use of investigative resources and determine the bona fide nature of requests for assistance. The recommendations of the committee shall be followed by the director except where otherwise expressly authorized by the board.

(d) Narcotics agents shall have all powers necessary and incidental to the fulfillment of their contractual obligations, including the power of arrest when authorized by the director.

(e) No person shall be a narcotics agent unless he is at least 18 years of age.

(f) The director shall conduct a background investigation of all potential narcotics agents. If the background investigation discloses a criminal record, the applicant shall not be retained without the express approval of the board.

(g) Any matters pertaining to narcotics agents shall be exempt from Chapter 14 of Title 50, relating to meetings open to the public.

(h) Persons retained as narcotics agents shall be considered persons in the service of the bureau under a contract of hire with that agency whose employment of those persons as narcotics agents shall be considered an employment in the usual course of the business of that agency. Persons retained by the bureau as narcotics agents shall have all the rights and privileges of other employees of the bureau; provided, however, that such persons shall be in the unclassified service of the State Merit System of Personnel Administration and therefore shall not be governed by any rules of position, classification, appointment, promotion, demotion, transfer, dismissal, qualification, compensation, seniority privileges, tenure, or other such matters concerning their employment established by the State Personnel Board, the State Merit System of Personnel Administration, or any successor boards or agencies.

(i) The director shall have all powers necessary and incidental to the effective operation of this Code section.