In any area under the jurisdiction and control of the airport operator, or in connection with the airport, or in pursuit of one or more individuals therefrom, any airport police officer shall have (1) all of the power and authority which a regularly appointed deputy sheriff of a county in this state has in enforcing the criminal laws of this state; (2) full power and authority to enforce any and all federal laws and rules and regulations relating to airports, air passengers, baggage inspection, the screening of air passengers and other airport security measures; (3) full power and authority to enforce any and all rules and regulations promulgated by the airport operator; and (4) the power to search persons, packages, containers and baggage and the power to arrest persons: Provided, That the foregoing provisions of this section shall under no circumstances whatever be construed as in any way limiting the power and authority of a municipal police officer or deputy sheriff who has been assigned to serve as an airport police officer which he has by virtue of his being a municipal police officer or deputy sheriff, and under no circumstances whatever shall the assignment or appointment or designation of one or more airport police officers at an airport be deemed in any way to supersede or limit the power and authority of other peace officers to preserve law and order at such airport.

Consistent with the provisions of section five, article seven, chapter sixty-one of this code, any municipal police officer or deputy sheriff assigned as an airport police officer pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b), section four of this article, and (notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary) any person appointed or designated as an airport police officer pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c), section four of this article, shall not be required to obtain a state license to carry a deadly weapon, as provided for in section two, article seven of said chapter sixty-one. Any municipal police officer or deputy sheriff assigned as an airport police officer pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b), section four of this article shall not be required to furnish any bond under section five, article seven of said chapter sixty-one other than the bond furnished thereunder as such municipal police officer or deputy sheriff. When one or more policies of public liability insurance are obtained providing insurance coverage for legal liability of an airport police officer for bodily injury, personal injury or damage (including, but not limited to, false arrest and false imprisonment) and property damage, and affording said airport police officer insurance coverage against any and all legal liability arising from, growing out of, or by reason of or in any way connected with, any acts or omissions of said airport police officer in the performance of his official duties, and so long as the coverage aforesaid remains in full force and effect as to such airport police officer, then the bond specified in section five, article seven of said chapter sixty-one shall not be required as to such airport police officer; otherwise such bond shall be required and must be furnished.