(a) The following persons are classified and designated as law enforcement officers after meeting minimum qualifications for law enforcement officers' certification as established by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training:

(1) The Director of Law Enforcement Standards and Training;

(2) Employees of the commission appointed by the Director of Law Enforcement Standards and Training as law enforcement officers;

(3) The Director of the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy; and

(4) Instructors of the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy.

(b)

(1) The personnel described in subsection (a) of this section have all authority and functions of other law enforcement officers in the State of Arkansas.

(2) The personnel described in subsection (a) of this section have general law enforcement authority to cooperate with, assist, and support local law enforcement officers in all law enforcement activities and functions.

(c) The personnel described in subsection (a) of this section shall:

(1) Be credited with service toward maintaining and increasing certification levels for time employed at the commission and the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy; and

(2) Receive credit for years of law enforcement service for time employed at the commission, the Arkansas Police Corps Training Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, or the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy upon employment as law enforcement officers elsewhere in the State of Arkansas.

(d) The personnel described in subsection (a) of this section:

(1) Are not qualified to enroll in a different retirement system because of their classification and designation as law enforcement officers; and

(2) Shall not qualify for any benefit enhancement other than that available under their current retirement system.