Sec. 2.8. (a) In place of any other form of compensation, including a salary contract entered into under section 2.5 of this chapter, a county may pay a sheriff's compensation as provided in this section from the county general fund in the manner that salaries of other county officials are paid. Subject to section 17 of this chapter, the sheriff may retain the sheriff's tax warrant collection fees (as described in IC 6-8.1-8-3).

(b) If a county pays a sheriff's compensation under this section, the county fiscal body shall make an appropriation in the usual manner from the county general fund for feeding prisoners. The sheriff or the sheriff's officers, deputies, or employees may not make a profit from the appropriation.

(c) Subject to section 17 of this chapter, a county that pays a sheriff's compensation under this section shall pay the sheriff as follows:

(1) In a county having a population of not more than twenty thousand (20,000), the county must pay the sheriff an annual salary that is equal to at least fifty percent (50%) of the annual minimum salary that would be paid by the state to a full-time prosecuting attorney in the county.

(2) In a county having a population of:

(A) more than twenty thousand (20,000); and

(B) not more than forty thousand (40,000);

the county must pay the sheriff an annual salary that is equal to at least sixty percent (60%) of the annual minimum salary that would be paid by the state to a full-time prosecuting attorney in the county.

(3) In a county having a population of:

(A) more than forty thousand (40,000); and

(B) not more than sixty-five thousand five hundred (65,500);

the county must pay the sheriff an annual salary that is equal to at least seventy percent (70%) of the annual minimum salary that would be paid by the state to a full-time prosecuting attorney in the county.

(4) In a county having a population of:

(A) more than sixty-five thousand five hundred (65,500); and

(B) not more than one hundred thousand (100,000);

the county must pay the sheriff an annual salary that is equal to at least eighty percent (80%) of the annual minimum salary that would be paid by the state to a full-time prosecuting attorney in the county.

(5) In a county having a population of:

(A) more than one hundred thousand (100,000); and

(B) not more than two hundred thousand (200,000);

the county must pay the sheriff an annual salary that is equal to at least ninety percent (90%) of the annual minimum salary that would be paid by the state to a full-time prosecuting attorney in the county.

(6) In a county having a population of more than two hundred thousand (200,000), the county must pay the sheriff an annual salary that is equal to at least one hundred percent (100%) of the annual minimum salary that would be paid by the state to a full-time prosecuting attorney in the county.

As added by P.L.230-1996, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.40-2008, SEC.3.