Upon the application of any person, firm or corporation engaged in the production of war materials owning, leasing, maintaining, managing or controlling any property, plant or equipment in this state, the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection may, during his pleasure and for such period as is declared by the Governor to be a war emergency or an emergency that affects the interests of state and national defense, commission one or more suitable persons designated by such person, firm or corporation, who, having been sworn, may act at the expense of such person, firm or corporation as special policemen upon the premises used or occupied by such person, firm or corporation in its business, or with the approval of the chief executive officer of the police department of the municipality in which such premises are located, upon any highway adjacent to such premises, for the protection of such plant or property. Each special policeman so appointed may be armed while on duty upon such premises and may arrest and take before some proper authority any person in his precinct for any offense committed therein. Said commissioner may exercise such supervision and direction over any policeman so appointed as he deems necessary, and he may, for such purpose, enter upon the premises used or occupied by such person, firm or corporation in its business. When any such commission is issued or revoked, said commissioner shall notify the clerk of the superior court for each judicial district in which such policeman acts. Each such policeman shall, when on duty, wear in plain view a shield bearing the words “special police” and the name of the person, firm or corporation for which he is commissioned.