Law Enforcement:  Sheriff

The office of sheriff is one of the county offices established by article VII, section 1 of the Constitution of Tennessee, and it is regulated by the general statutes found in title 8, chapter 8 of Tennessee Code Annotated. The qualifications for the office of sheriff are more stringent than for most county offices. These qualifications are detailed in T.C.A. §8-8-102. Many of the duties of the sheriff are specified in T.C.A. §8-8-201. The sheriff's salary is determined by T.C.A. §§8-24-102. The statutes authorizing the sheriff to petition the court with criminal jurisdiction for the employment of deputies and assistants and the setting of salaries for deputies and assistants are found in T.C.A. §8-20-101 et seq. Also, the sheriff may appoint such personnel as may be provided for in the budget adopted for the sheriff's department. T.C.A. §8-20-120. For additional statutes relating to the sheriff, refer to the combined general index of Tennessee Code Annotated, volumes 14, 15, and 16, under specific topics relating to law enforcement, county jails and workhouses.

The following acts have no current effect but are included here for reference purposes since they once applied to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1797, Chapter 8, designated the Sheriff as the tax collector in Jefferson County, a duty which the Sheriff performed for many years in all the counties.
2. Acts of 1823, Chapter 186, Page 170, made it legal for the Sheriffs of the counties of Knox, Davidson, Maury, Smith, Rutherford, Jefferson, Sumner, and Washington to appoint one Deputy Sheriff over and above the number now allowed under the law, but no Sheriff could have more than three deputies. This Act was repealed expressly by Private Acts of 1978, Chapter 166.
3. Acts of 1825, Chapter 220, Page 251, was the legal authority for the Sheriff of Jefferson County to appoint one Deputy Sheriff who would be in addition to, and over and above, the number of deputies now allowed under the general law.
4. Acts of 1826, Chapter 122, Page 110, authorized and required the Treasurer of East Tennessee to pay to JAMES BRADFORD, the Sheriff of Jefferson County, the sum of $15 for his services in reporting on two tracts of land which had been sold for taxes.
5. Acts of 1827, Chapter 4, Page 5, allowed the Sheriff of the counties of Hawkins, Giles and Jefferson to employ two additional deputies who were to be over and above all the allotments of deputies under the general law.
6. Acts of 1831, Chapter 203, Page 155, released PETER NORTH, of Jefferson County, from the forfeiture of a recognizance bond which was entered against him in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County for $500 as security for the appearance of JAMES NORTH on an indictment for riot, but nothing in this act was intended to relieve North from the payment of costs in the case.
7. Acts of 1831, Chapter 213, Page 174, required the Treasurer of East Tennessee to pay to VERDENBURGH THOMPSON, the jailor of Jefferson County, the sum of $18.62 for keeping BOLDEN GAINES in the prison of the County, and to pay to L. D. PARROTT the sum of $4.80 for his services as a guard, out of any money, or funds, in the house of the Treasurer which were not otherwise appropriated.
8. Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 116, Page 433, stated that the Sheriff of Jefferson County (identified by the use of the 1910 Federal Census figures)would hereafter be paid the sum of $750 each year, payable on January 1 and July 1 on the warrant of the County Judge. The Sheriff must file a sworn, itemized statement showing the correct amount of the fees collected in the office. If the statement showed to the County Judge, or Chairman, that the fees were less than the salary, the county would pay the difference, but if the fees exceeded the salary the Sheriff could retain the excess. Fees paid to the Sheriff for boarding prisoners would not be included. This Act was repealed in Item 10, below.
9. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 235, Page 589, amended Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 116, above, to raise the annual salary of the Sheriff, as provided therein, from $750 to $1250.
10. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 442, Page 1316, set the compensation of the Sheriff of Jefferson County for his services as the fees now allowed to the Sheriff by law, and in addition, the sum of $800 annually, payable monthly out of the general funds of the county on the warrant of the County Judge, or Chairman, but no other payment would be made to the Sheriff for his ex-officio services, this being meant as a replacement for that. Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 116, was repealed in its entirety.
11. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 349, Page 1205, provided that in Jefferson County (identified by the use of the 1920 Federal Census figures) the Sheriff would receive as compensation for his service, all the fees now allowed to him under the law and in addition to the fees he would be paid the sum of $1200 annually, payable $100 each month out of general county funds or the warrant of the County Judge, or Chairman. No ex-officio compensation could be paid the Sheriff, this being the entire amount he would be paid.
12. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 127, Page 427, amended Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 349, above, by increasing the amount to be paid to the Jefferson County Sheriff over and above the fees of the office from $1200 to $1800, payable at $150 a month.
13. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 768, Page 1782, set the annual salary of the Sheriff of Jefferson County at $2000, exclusive of the fees earned for boarding prisoners, the same to be paid monthly by the Trustee on the warrant of the County Judge. The Sheriff was obligated to keep a record of every fee collected in his office and to file a sworn and itemized statement each month with the County Judge, or Chairman, and pay the fees over to the Trustee, the Sheriff would be paid only out of the fees he collected, and, if they failed to reach the $2,000, the amount collected would be the salary. All fees lost by and through the negligence of the Sheriff would be charged against him. Turnkey fees were not to be considered as a part of those to be charged to the Sheriff.
14. Private Acts of 1978, Chapter 166, repealed Acts of 1823, Chapter 186, and Acts of 1831, Chapter 123.