A. For purposes of this Section, the board of commissioners for any port district whose territory includes a parish with a population of sixty-eight thousand to seventy-three thousand according to the latest federal decennial census and a parish with a population of fifty-seven thousand to fifty-seven thousand four hundred according to the latest federal decennial census may, in its discretion, appoint, fix salaries of, and pay port and harbor police. The port and harbor police may consist of any number of people of good character and citizens of the state who have completed a course certified by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training; however, no member shall be under eighteen years of age.

            B. Each of the port and harbor police so appointed shall furnish bond in a sum to be fixed by the commission at not less than one hundred dollars, conditioned on the faithful performance of his duties, and any person injured or damaged by any port or harbor police may sue upon that bond.

            C. The port and harbor police provided for in this Section shall have, under the direction and control of the commission, the same power to make arrests, in and upon the property within the jurisdiction of the commission and approaches thereto, and to execute and return all criminal warrants and processes, as sheriffs of this state have and shall, under the same direction and authority, have all of the powers of sheriffs as peace officers in all places and on all premises under the jurisdiction and control of the commission and the streets and approaches thereto.

            D. Any persons arrested by officers of the commission meeting the requirements of Subsection A of this Section and the return of all warrants or processes served by these officers shall be surrendered or delivered to the criminal sheriff of the parish in which the arrest occurred as determined by location of arrest; provided this shall in no way deprive the sheriff or deputy sheriff in a parish with a population of sixty-eight thousand to seventy-three thousand or fifty-seven thousand to fifty-seven thousand four hundred from making arrests or from serving warrants or process of court in any such place or on any such premises.

            E. A commission that meets the requirements of Subsection A of this Section shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct, management, and control of the port and harbor police and shall, from time to time, enlarge, modify, or change the rules and regulations in its discretion.

            Acts 2023, No. 441, §1, eff. June 28, 2023.