Section 10-9-15. Power of authority with regard to ensuring maximum use of project; rules and regulations for operation and use; security guards

   (a) The authority shall operate the project so as to ensure maximum use of the project. In connection with and incident to its operation of the project, the authority may engage in such activities as it deems appropriate to promote trade shows, conventions, and tourism within the state so as to promote the use of the project and the use of the industrial, agricultural, educational, historical, cultural, recreational, and natural resources of the State of Georgia by those using or visiting the project.

(b) The authority shall have the power to lease and make contracts with political subdivisions and agencies of this state with respect to the use of the project and the goods and services of the authority provided in connection with such use or the activities which the authority is otherwise authorized to undertake.

(c) It shall be the duty of the board of governors of the authority to prescribe rules and regulations for the operation and governing the use of the project constructed under the provisions of this chapter, including rules and regulations to ensure maximum use of the project.

(d) (1) The authority shall be authorized to establish the Georgia World Congress Center Police to keep watch over and protect the Geo. L. Smith II Georgia World Congress Center and such other properties or projects of the authority or as may be under the management and control of the authority. The police officers of the Georgia World Congress Center Police shall be subject to Chapter 8 of Title 35. Subject to rules and regulations of the authority, any person employed as a police officer of the Georgia World Congress Center Police who is accepted as a candidate for or who has obtained certification under Chapter 8 of Title 35 shall have powers to possess and carry firearms and to exercise such other powers and duties as are possessed by a police officer or other peace officer employed by the county or the municipality in which the properties of or under the control and management of the authority are located, and without limitation of the foregoing, shall have the powers of protecting and preserving the properties or projects of or under the management and control of the authority and, within such properties and projects and within the boundaries of any public street or sidewalk adjacent to any such property or projects or which area is otherwise subject to regulation by the authority, have the powers of protecting persons, of enforcing law and order, of controlling pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and of prevention, detection, and investigation of offenses committed thereon.

   (2) The authority shall be authorized to establish the Security Guard Division of the Georgia World Congress Center Police and to employ and assign security guards to the division. Security guards so assigned shall not be subject to Chapter 8 of Title 35. Subject to rules and regulations of the authority, security guards shall have the powers of protecting and preserving the properties in projects of or under the management and control of the authority and within such properties or projects and within the boundaries of any public street or sidewalk adjacent to any such property or projects, or which is otherwise subject to regulation by the authority, have the powers of protecting persons, enforcing law and order, controlling pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and of the prevention, detection, and investigation of offenses committed thereon and for those purposes shall be authorized to exercise such powers as are authorized by law for security guards employed by the Georgia Building Authority and subsection (f) of Code Section 50-9-9.

   (3) The authority may contract for the provision of security services to the property or areas subject to control of the authority:

      (A) With any state, county, or municipal government, agency, or authority police or security force;

      (B) Subject to regulations of such police or security force, with the members of such force; and

      (C) With any private person authorized and licensed to provide such services.

   (4) Under such terms and conditions as may be established by agreement with such agencies, the Board of Public Safety through the Georgia Police Academy or the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council may provide such limited or specialized training to police officers or security guards employed by the authority as may be appropriate to the responsibilities and powers vested in such police officers or security guards. Nothing in this Code section shall limit the duty of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council or the Georgia Police Academy to provide training necessary for certification under Chapter 8 of Title 35.

   (5) Law enforcement officers employed by the state or the county or municipality in which properties, projects, or facilities of or under the control or management of the authority are located may with respect to the police officers and security guards provided for under this subsection, exercise:

      (A) Concurrent law enforcement jurisdiction over protecting and preserving such properties, projects, or facilities; and

      (B) The power to enforce law and order and in the event of conflict shall have jurisdiction over such authority police officers and security guards on law enforcement matters and investigation of offenses committed on such properties, projects, or facilities.

Ga. L. 1972, p. 245, § 2; Ga. L. 1974, p. 174, §§ 4, 12; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1043, § 1; Code 1981, §§ 10-9-4, 10-9-11; Code 1981, § 10-9-15, enacted by Ga. L. 1982, p. 1122, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 8; Ga. L. 1985, p. 149, § 10; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1093, § 3; Ga. L. 1993, p. 91, § 10.