2011 Vermont Code
Title 24 Municipal and County Government
Chapter 5 COUNTY OFFICERS; POWERS AND DUTIES
§ 307 Deputy sheriffs; appointments and revocation

§ 307. Deputy sheriffs; appointments and revocation

(a) A sheriff may appoint deputies, one or more of whom shall be a woman. With the approval of the attorney general, a sheriff may appoint special deputies, who need not be legal residents of the state. The duties of such special deputy sheriffs shall be the same as those imposed by law on sheriffs and other peace officers in the enforcement of the criminal law. No action for official malfeasance or neglect of such special deputy sheriff, or for a cause affecting his administration of the office, shall be sustained against the sheriff. A deputy or such special deputy shall not perform an official act until his deputation and oath are filed for record in the office of the county clerk. A sheriff may dismiss a deputy or such special deputy and revoke his deputation. Such revocation shall be recorded in the office of the county clerk and shall take effect from the day of such record.

(b) A sheriff may appoint persons as deputy sheriffs to serve civil process, including child support enforcement as provided in 15 V.S.A. { 800, whom the sheriff shall train and supervise. Such deputies need not be qualified law enforcement officers, but if not so qualified shall not have arrest powers, and shall not carry firearms in performance of their duties in serving civil process.

(c) The powers of deputy sheriffs and special deputy sheriffs with respect to criminal matters and the enforcement of the law may be exercised statewide. (Amended 1977, No. 218 (Adj. Sess.), { 4; 1987, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), { 1, eff. Jan. 26, 1988; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), { C20.)