a. The Delaware River Port Authority shall require a police officer appointed under section 1 of P.L. 1957, c. 35 (C. 32:4-6) to successfully complete a police training course jointly approved and authorized by the Attorneys General of the State of New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and shall further require that the police officer shall fully comply with the annual firearms qualifications standards established under subsection j. of N.J.S. 2C:39-6.
b. A police officer may be exempted from the police training requirements of subsection a. of this section if he demonstrates that he has successfully completed a police training course conducted by any federal, state or other public or private agency, the requirements of which are determined by the attorneys general of the two states to be substantially equivalent to the police training course requirements of subsection a. of this section; but notwithstanding such exemption, the police officer shall fully comply with the annual firearms qualification standards referenced in subsection a. of this section.