Section 259-F. Parole officers

1. Employees in the division who perform
  the duties of  supervising  inmates  released  on  presumptive  release,
  parole,  conditional  release or post-release supervision, and employees
  who perform professional duties in institutions and who are assigned  to
  provide  institutional  parole  services pursuant to section two hundred
  fifty-nine-e of this article, shall be parole officers.
    2. No person shall be eligible for the position of parole officer  who
  is under twenty-one years of age or who does not possess a baccalaureate
  degree  conferred  by  a  post-secondary  institution  accredited  by an
  accrediting agency recognized by the United States office of  education,
  or  who  is not fitted physically, mentally and morally. Parole officers
  selection shall be based on definite  qualifications  as  to  character,
  ability and training with an emphasis on capacity and ability to provide
  a balanced approach to influencing human behavior and to use judgment in
  the  enforcement  of  the  rules and regulations of presumptive release,
  parole and conditional release. Parole officers shall be persons  likely
  to  exercise  a  strong  and helpful influence upon persons placed under
  their supervision while retaining the goal of protecting society.
    3.  The  chairman,  acting  in  cooperation  with  the  civil  service
  commission,   shall  establish  standards,  preliminary  requisites  and
  requisites to govern the selection and appointment of parole officers.
    4. A parole or warrant officer, in  performing  or  in  attempting  to
  perform  an arrest pursuant to and in conformance with the provisions of
  article one hundred forty of the criminal procedure law, shall be deemed
  to have performed such actions, relating to such arrest, in  the  course
  of  employment  in the division for purposes of disability or death from
  any injuries arising therefrom. The provisions of this subdivision shall
  apply whether or not such parole or warrant officer was on duty for  the
  division  at  the  time  of  performing  such  actions or performed such
  actions outside of his  or  her  regular  or  usual  duties  within  the
  division.