(a) In furtherance of enhanced courthouse security for court personnel, litigants, and the general public, courthouse security officers charged with effecting courthouse security may arrest any person committing a violation of the criminal laws of the State of West Virginia, the United States, or a violation of Rule 42 of the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure occurring within a courthouse while the courthouse security officer is engaged in his or her official duties;
(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the arrest authority of courthouse security officers is consistent with that of a county deputy sheriff;
(c) In any judicial circuit where there is an order in effect authorizing courthouse security officers to carry a firearm, the circuit court may also authorize, consistent with the provisions of this section, qualifying courthouse security officers to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense purposes pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 926B, upon the following criteria being met:
(1) The supervising authority of the courthouse security officer shall require courthouse security officers desiring to participate to regularly qualify in the use of firearms with standards therefor which are equal to or exceed those required of sheriffs deputies in the county in which the courthouse security officers are employed;