(a) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection may, within available appropriations, appoint suitable persons from the regular state police force as resident state policemen in addition to the regular state police force to be employed and empowered as state policemen in any town or two or more adjoining towns lacking an organized police force, and such officers may be detailed by said commissioner as resident state policemen for regular assignment to such towns, provided each town shall pay eighty-five per cent of the cost of compensation, maintenance and other expenses of the first two state policemen detailed to such town, and one hundred per cent of such costs of compensation, maintenance and other expenses for any additional state policemen detailed to such town, provided further such town shall pay one hundred per cent of any overtime costs and such portion of fringe benefits directly associated with such overtime costs, except (1) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, inclusive, fifty per cent of the portion of the state employees’ retirement system fringe recovery rate attributable to the unfunded liability of said system shall be paid by the Comptroller from the resources appropriated for State Comptroller-State Employees’ Retirement System Unfunded Liability, and (2) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, and for each fiscal year thereafter, one hundred per cent of the portion of the state employees’ retirement system fringe recovery rate attributable to the unfunded liability of said system shall be paid by the Comptroller from the resources appropriated for State Comptroller-State Employees’ Retirement System Unfunded Liability. Such town or towns and the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection are authorized to enter into agreements and contracts for such police services, with the approval of the Attorney General, for periods not exceeding two years.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall appoint a resident state policeman to serve in a pilot program assignment for two towns lacking an organized police force or constabulary and located within the jurisdiction of the same state police troop pursuant to a memorandum of agreement with towns requesting participation in the pilot program. Towns participating in the pilot program shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of such resident state policeman as provided in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall exercise such supervision and direction over any resident policeman so appointed as said commissioner deems necessary, and each appointee shall be required to conform to the requirements of chapter 67. Each resident state policeman shall have the same powers as officers of the regular state police force and be entitled to the same rights and subject to the same rules and regulations as the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.