(A) Purpose. There is established the county Police Reserve Unit. The purpose and function of the Police Reserve Unit is to complement and support the county Police Department. Duly appointed members of the county Police Reserve Unit shall be known as Special Deputy Sheriffs.
(B) Sheriff’s role. The County Sheriff is authorized and may appoint, with the approval of the Sheriff’s Merit Board, Special Deputy Sheriffs in such numbers as the Sheriff deems necessary to assist him or her in promoting the public safety and preserving the peace in and throughout the county. The Sheriff shall determine the length of time each appointment shall remain in effect, but in no event shall the duration of the appointment be extended past the appointing Sheriff’s own term of office.
(C) Powers.
(1) Special Deputy Sheriffs shall have all of the same police powers as regular Deputy Sheriffs of the county Police Department, except as may be limited by the rules, regulations, and directives of the county Police Department. These limitations may be imposed collectively or individually.
(2) Furthermore, the Sheriff is additionally free to adopt whatever rules, regulations, and directives from time to time he or she deems appropriate to govern the activities of Special Deputy Sheriffs, and may limit the authority of each Special Deputy Sheriff as he or she deems appropriate, including limitations of the geographical area in which their police powers may be exercised.
(D) Prerequisites. The Sheriff shall fix the prerequisites of training, education, and experience for Special Deputy Sheriffs, subject to certain minimum requirements prescribed herein. Applicants must:
(1) Be 21 years of age or over;
(2) Never have been convicted of a felony, or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
(3) Be of good moral character;
(4) Have sufficient training to ensure the proper performance of their authorized duties; and
(5) Set out in writing their personal acknowledgment that:
(a) As Special Deputies, they serve at the express pleasure of the County Sheriff; and
(b) An individual’s commission as Special Deputy Sheriff may be revoked by the Sheriff for any reason or for no given reason at all at any given time.
(E) Benefits. To the extent that monies may be appropriated by the County Council, Special Deputy Sheriffs may:
(1) Receive wages for authorized duty time;
(2) Receive a uniform allowance;
(3) Receive compensation for time lost from other employment due to court appearances; and
(4) Receive life, accident, sickness, and liability insurance coverage.
(F) No pension benefits. Under no circumstances are Special Deputy Sheriffs eligible to participate in the pension program provided for the regular members of the county Police Department.
(G) Probationary period. An individual may not be appointed as a Special Deputy Sheriff of the county Police Reserve until that person has completed the training and any probationary period which shall be deemed appropriate prior to the appointment by the rules, regulations, and directives of the county Police Department.
(H) Special duty. This section is to be in full force and govern appointments as a Special Deputy to the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse and County Lake Patrol.
(I) Appointments. The County Sheriff is also authorized and may appoint two persons, 18 years of age and older, to assist him or her in law enforcement duties as he or she deems appropriate in promoting the public safety and preserving the peace in and throughout the county.
(`88 Code, § 2-140) (Ord. 82-10, passed 11-1-82)