(a) The Commissioner may secure the assistance of the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department (V.I.P.D.) in executing the provisions of this chapter.
(b) The Commissioner and enforcement officers appointed by the Commissioner to enforce the conservation laws, boating safety, antiquities and cultural properties laws of this Territory as well as the federal fisheries laws associated with federal deputized enforcement, are constituted peace officers with the power to go armed and to make arrests for violating the conservation, boating safety, antiquities and cultural properties laws of the Territory, and federal fisheries laws associated with federal deputized enforcement officers who perform federal fisheries enforcement. References hereinafter to conservation officers shall be construed to include the Commissioner of Planning and Natural Resources. References hereinafter to “conservation laws” shall be construed to include boating safety, antiquities and cultural properties law of the Territory, as well as the federal fisheries laws associated with federal deputized enforcement officers who perform federal fisheries enforcement.