1. Appointment of police officers. The Commissioner of Public Safety may appoint and employ police officers, subject to the Civil Service Law. The specific duties and powers of police officers appointed and employed are to patrol the public ways and parking areas, to provide security for all parks, grounds, buildings and appurtenances maintained by the State in the capitol area and other state-controlled locations designated by the commissioner and to enforce any rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. The commissioner may expand the duties and powers of police officers in the capitol area, other state-controlled locations and public ways designated by the commissioner beyond the duties and powers enumerated in this section to investigate, prosecute, serve process on and arrest violators of any law of this State. Police officers may issue summons in the course of their duty to enforce this section. The commissioner may grant statewide power of enforcement of any law of this State to police officers described in this subsection. That power may be granted only to police officers who have completed a basic training course at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy or for whom the basic training course has been waived by the board of trustees of the academy because of equivalent training, as provided in section 2804?C, subsection 1 or 5. The commissioner shall provide forms and standard operating procedures to police officers to carry out their functions under this section.

2. Cooperation of other law enforcement agencies. The State Police, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, constables and municipal police officers shall, as much as possible, cooperate with the police officers appointed and employed under this section in the enforcement of rules adopted pursuant to this chapter and any law of this State.