19-801b.   Qualifications for office; attendance atlawenforcement center required; exception; status and salary while inattendance.(a) No person shall be eligible for nomination, election or appointmentto the office of sheriff unless such person:

      (1)   Is a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector ofthe county;

      (2)   possesses a high-school education or its recognized equivalent;and

      (3)   has never been convicted of or pleaded guilty or entered a pleaof nolo contendere to any felony charge, a misdemeanor crime ofdomesticviolence as defined in K.S.A. 74-5602 and amendments thereto or to anyviolation of anyfederal or state laws or city ordinances relating to gambling, liquor ornarcotics.

      (b)   Every person elected to the office of sheriff for the firsttime, or anyone reelected or appointed to the office after having beenout of the office for five years or more shall be required toattendthe law enforcement training center as established by K.S.A.74-5601 et seq., and amendments thereto, and satisfactorily completetherequired training course of not less than 320 hours,unless such person has satisfactorily completed such training coursewithin the five years prior to election or appointment, passes awritten competency test and firearms proficiency qualification course developedand administered by the Kansas law enforcement training center or unless thedirector, as defined in subsection (d) of K.S.A. 74-5602, and amendmentsthereto, waivesthe requirements of thissubsection as provided in K.S.A. 74-5608a and amendments thereto. Unlessthe requirements are waived, any personelected or appointed to the office of sheriff who has not attended thelaw enforcement training center shall hold office on aprovisionalbasis, and such person shall attend the next scheduled training programat the law enforcement training center and satisfactorilycomplete suchtraining program or the one subsequent to it, or shall forfeit suchoffice.

      (c)   Each newly elected sheriff of each county who is required toattend the law enforcement training center shall be hired as adeputysheriff and shall be paid a salary as deputy sheriff while attending thelaw enforcement training center. The tuition, board, room andtravelexpense for the sheriff-elect at the law enforcement training centershall be paid by the county.

      History:   L. 1972, ch. 75, § 2; L. 1974, ch. 114, § 1; L. 1975,ch. 157, § 1; L. 1977, ch. 89, § 1; L. 1982, ch. 322, § 1; L. 1983,ch. 93, § 1;L. 1995, ch. 180, § 5;L. 1997, ch. 168, § 1; May 22.