Section 312. Special policemen

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 policemen, 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 policemen, 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 policemen 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 policeman under this section shall
  only be made with the approval of the state racing and  wagering  board.
  Application for such approval shall be in such form as may be prescribed
  by  the  board  and  shall contain such other information or material or
  evidence as the board shall require. In acting  on  an  application  for
  such  approval  the  board  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 board 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.