(1) The Mississippi Fair Commission is authorized to hire and designate area law enforcement officers on a contractual basis to provide security and to enforce all laws of the State of Mississippi on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds Complex. All officers must have attended and satisfactorily completed the training course required for law enforcement officers at the Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy or an equivalent facility. All officers must be current with this certification. A complete record of all law enforcement training of each employee will be maintained in each employee’s record of employment. Furthermore, the Mississippi Fair Commission may enter into a contract with any certified law enforcement officer to provide security to the Mississippi Fair Commission with jurisdiction to enforce all laws of the State of Mississippi on property known as the “Mississippi State Fairgrounds Complex” and any and all of its outlying buildings and property.

(2)

(a) All officers while in performance of their duty on the premises or at any of the facilities under the direction or control of the Mississippi State Fair Commission and public property immediately adjacent to such facilities shall:

(i) Be required to dress in uniforms prescribed by the Mississippi State Fair Commission; and

(ii) Be authorized to carry weapons.

(b) Employees designated as officers shall be duly sworn and vested with authority to bear arms and make arrests, and shall exercise primarily the responsibilities of the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of criminals, and the enforcement of the ordinances and policies of the Mississippi State Fair Commission, a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi. Employees designated as such officers shall be considered law enforcement officers within the meaning of Section 45-6-3.