(A) Leave of absence without pay. A leave of absence without pay may be granted to any member of the Sheriff’s Office covered by the merit system irrespective of rank. The leave shall be from the position and rank that he or she holds at the time the leave is granted. Such leave may be granted whether the officer has or has not completed his or her probationary period.
(B) Rules governing leaves of absence.
(1) All leaves of absence, except for military service, shall be for one year or less. Leaves of absence may be granted only by the Sheriff. An officer on leave of absence who accepts a position other than that for which the leave is granted, without approval of the Sheriff, shall be deemed to have resigned. An officer who fails to return to his or her position following the granted leave, or fails to request and be granted a new leave of absence on or before the expiration date of his or her first leave, shall also be deemed to have resigned.
(2) The Sheriff shall be the sole judge of the appropriateness of the reasons and purposes for which the leave is requested. All officers taking leave of absence must surrender their credentials, insignia, and arms provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
(C) Resignation.
(1) Any member covered by the merit system may resign from the Sheriff’s Office for any reason. All officers resigning must surrender their credentials, insignia, and arms provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
(2) Should a former member desire to again affiliate himself or herself under the merit system with the Sheriff’s Office for any reason, he or she must once again meet the basic requirements for appointment to the Sheriff’s Office as a corrections officer and Deputy Sheriff candidate and successfully complete the screening process in competition with all other applicants.
(3) All resignations are to be submitted to the Sheriff.
(Prior Code, 2 TCC 3-5)