In any case in which a township or borough to which this act applies has heretofore appointed policemen or established a police department by lawful action of council or supervisors but not by or pursuant to an ordinance or resolution regularly enacted, such action shall be deemed to have been a valid exercise of the legislative power of the township or borough for all purposes the same as though an ordinance or resolution had been enacted, and all policemen appointed thereunder shall occupy the same status as in the case of policemen appointed under authority of an ordinance or resolution.
53 P.S. § 816