MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Judiciary B; County Affairs

By: Representative Chaney

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 19-25-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL SHERIFFS TO COMPLETE ANNUALLY A COURSE OF TEN HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION; TO REQUIRE THE COURSE TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE MISSISSIPPI SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION; TO PROVIDE THAT A REASONABLE FEE MAY BE CHARGED FOR THE COURSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 19-25-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-25-3. A person shall not be eligible to the office of sheriff who shall, at the time of the election, be a defaulter to the state, or any county or municipality thereof, or to the United States. Any person who is not a qualified elector, or who denies the existence of a Supreme Being, shall not be eligible to the office. A sheriff shall be eligible to immediately succeed himself in office.

Before taking the oath of office and entering into the performance of the duties and obligations of sheriff, or as soon after his election as possible, each sheriff-elect, excluding those who have previously served as sheriff, or have had at least five (5) years' experience as a full-time enforcement officer, or have previously successfully completed a course of training at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy or the Jackson Police Academy, shall, at the expense of the county, attend and complete an appropriate curriculum in the field of law enforcement at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy. Any sheriff exempted from attendance because of previous service as sheriff or having five (5) years' full-time law enforcement experience must have served as sheriff or obtained such experience within a period of ten (10) years before the date of his taking the oath of office. Any sheriff exempted from attendance because of successful completion of a course of training at either of the aforementioned academies must have completed the course within five (5) years before the date of his taking the oath of office. No sheriff, excluding those specified as being exempt from the initial course in this section, shall until he has attended the academy be entitled to payment of salary after the first one (1) year in office if he fails to attend the academy as * * * provided in this section within one (1) year after his taking office. All sheriffs annually shall attend and complete an additional ten (10) hours of continuing education in law enforcement in order that they will be properly informed and trained in the modern, technical advances of law enforcement. The Mississippi Sheriffs' Association shall determine the content of the course of continuing education and when and where the course will be conducted. The Mississippi Sheriffs' Association may charge a reasonable fee for the course. All costs and expenses incurred by a sheriff in attending the course shall be paid by the county.

Before July 1, 1973, or as soon thereafter as permitted by vacancies at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy, either the sheriff or one (1) deputy sheriff in each county having two (2) or more full-time deputies shall, at the expense of the county, attend and complete an appropriate curriculum in the field of narcotics and dangerous drugs at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy. In the event that a new sheriff is elected who has not previously received the training or at least one (1) of his deputies has not previously received the training, or if for any other reason neither the sheriff nor any of the deputy sheriffs in a county shall have received the training, then the sheriff shall promptly notify the Director of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Academy and either the sheriff or a deputy sheriff, as soon thereafter as permitted by vacancies at the academy, shall, at the expense of the county, attend and complete an appropriate curriculum in the field of narcotics and dangerous drugs.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.