§ 25-a. Fingerprints of persons before appointment as town police officers, or as constables possessing powers in criminal matters. No person shall be appointed or reappointed a member of the police department, or a special police officer, or a constable not limited to powers and duties in civil actions and proceedings only, in any town, who shall not previously, for the purposes of this section, have submitted fingerprints in the form and manner prescribed by the division of criminal justice services to the town board or other board or officer of the town empowered by law to make such appointment or reappointment, and it shall be the duty of such board or officer, before making such appointment or reappointment, to compare or cause to be compared such fingerprints with fingerprints filed with the division of criminal justice services; provided, however, that in any case where the fingerprints of any such person shall once have been submitted pursuant to this section and are on file with the board empowered to make the appointment or reappointment, no new submission thereof shall be required, nor shall such board be required to make or cause to be made such comparison if such comparison shall have been made previously pursuant to this section and certification thereof by such department is on file with such board.