§ 312. Special police officers. 1. For the purpose of preserving order and preventing offenses against the laws prohibiting gambling, the officers or directors of any corporation or association created under or subject to the provisions of sections two hundred twenty-two through seven hundred five of this chapter are hereby authorized to appoint from time to time, special police officers, and the same to remove at pleasure, who, when appointed, shall be peace officers with the same powers within and about such grounds as are vested in peace officers as set forth in section 2.20 of the criminal procedure law, whose duty and powers, when appointed, shall be to preserve order within and around the grounds and racetracks of said corporation or association, to protect the property within said grounds, to eject or arrest all persons who shall be improperly within the grounds of such corporation or association or who shall be guilty of disorderly conduct, or who shall neglect or refuse to pay the fees or to observe the rules prescribed by said corporation or association; and it shall be the further duty of said police officers, when appointed to prevent all violations of law with reference to pool-selling, bookmaking, and other gambling, and to arrest any and all persons violating such provisions, and to convey such person or persons so arrested, with a statement of the cause of such arrest, before a court having jurisdiction of such offense, to be dealt with according to the law. The appointment of police officers in pursuance of this section shall not be deemed to supersede in any wise on the grounds and racetrack of such corporation or association the authority of peace officers or police officers of the jurisdiction within which such grounds and racetrack are located.

2. Any appointment of a special police officer under this section shall be made only with the approval of the commission. Application for such approval shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the commission and shall contain such other information or material or evidence as the commission shall require. In acting on an application for such approval the commission shall consider the background, experience, integrity, and competence of the candidate for appointment, the public interest, convenience or necessity and the interests of harness racing generally. The commission in its discretion may set the term of any such appointment, terminate any existing appointment at any time and prescribe conditions and rules for the conduct of such office.