(A) The judge or judges of a municipal court may appoint one or more interpreters, one or more mental health professionals, one or more probation officers, an assignment commissioner, deputy assignment commissioners, and other court aides on a full-time, part-time, hourly, or other basis. Each appointee shall receive the compensation out of the city treasury that the legislative authority prescribes in either biweekly installments or semimonthly installments, as determined by the payroll administrator, except that in a county-operated municipal court they shall receive the compensation out of the treasury of the county in which the court is located that the board of county commissioners prescribes. Probation officers have all the powers of regular police officers and shall perform any duties that are designated by the judge or judges of the court. Assignment commissioners shall assign cases for trial and perform any other duties that the court directs.

The judge or judges may appoint one or more typists, stenographers, statistical clerks, and official court reporters, each of whom shall be paid the compensation out of the city treasury that the legislative authority prescribes, except that in a county-operated municipal court they shall be paid the compensation out of the treasury of the county in which the court is located that the board of county commissioners prescribes.

(B) If a municipal court appoints one or more probation officers, those officers shall constitute the municipal court department of probation unless the court designates other employees as the department of probation for the court.

(C) The chief probation officer may grant permission to a probation officer to carry firearms when required in the discharge of the probation officer's official duties if the probation officer has successfully completed a basic firearm training program that is approved by the executive director of the Ohio peace officer training commission. A probation officer who has been granted permission to carry a firearm in the discharge of the probation officer's official duties annually shall successfully complete a firearms requalification program in accordance with section 109.801 of the Revised Code.

(D) The judge or judges of a municipal court in which the clerk of the court is elected as provided in division (A)(1)(a) or (d) or (A)(2)(b) of section 1901.31 of the Revised Code may appoint an administrative assistant. The administrative assistant shall have charge of personnel related matters of the court and shall perform any other administrative duties assigned by the court. The administrative assistant shall receive the compensation out of the city treasury that the court prescribes, except that, in a county-operated municipal court, the administrative assistant shall receive the compensation out of the treasury of the county in which the court is located that the court prescribes.

Effective Date: 03-31-2003; 06-30-2006 .