(a) A sheriff's department is established in each county. It shall consist of the elected sheriff in each county, and such deputy sheriffs and supporting staff as may be appointed by the sheriff. Full-time employees of the sheriff's department, paid by the county, shall be county employees for all purposes but shall be eligible to join the State Employees Retirement System, provided the county shall pay the employer's share. The sheriff's department shall be entitled to utilize all State services available to a town within the county.

(b) Full-time deputy sheriffs whose primary responsibility is transportation of prisoners and persons with a mental condition or psychiatric disability shall be paid by the State of Vermont. The appointment of such deputies and their salary shall be approved by the Governor or his or her designee. The Executive Committee of the Vermont Sheriffs Association and the Executive Director of the Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs shall jointly have authority for the assignment of position locations in the counties of State-paid deputy sheriffs and shall review the county location assignments periodically for efficient use of resources.

(c) Equity, indebtedness, ownership of equipment, and title to motor vehicles associated with the operation of each sheriff's department and purchased with department funds shall be held in the name of the department, not in the name of the sheriff. The department is constituted as a legal entity with the power to contract and incur liabilities.

(d) Upon the election of a sheriff-elect who is not the incumbent sheriff, or upon notice of the resignation of the sheriff, all financial disbursements from the accounts of the department, including the transfer of real or personal property, or other assets, of the department shall be co-signed by the sheriff and the assistant judges. A report of all financial disbursements or transfers made pursuant to this subsection shall be forwarded by the assistant judges to the Auditor of Accounts within 15 days of completion of the out-going sheriff's duties. (Added 1977, No. 218 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1987, No. 262 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1991, No. 257 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2009, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 149.)