Who recruits these kids?

Here's an interesting press release from my county police.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=332822312114

Here's the part that caught my eye:

Detectives used a 14-year-old female to check the compliance of retail establishments with State tobacco laws.

How does that work? Is it legal for a girl that age to volunteer for that kind of duty? I'm sort of boggled over the very idea.