N.Y. Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law § 312: Special police officers

§ 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.