{"data":{"id":"us-ut/utah-code-17-76-202","jurisdiction":"us-ut","citation":"Utah Code § 17-76-202","heading":"Applicability.","body":"(1) This chapter does not apply to a county of the first class or an interlocal entity, as defined in Section 11-13-103, in which a county of the first class is a party to an interlocal agreement to provide law enforcement service.\n(2) The sheriff of each county with a population of 20,000 people or more who regularly employs one or more peace officers shall:\n(a) appoint peace officers and fill vacant positions for peace officers:\n(i) with the advice and consent of the county legislative body;\n(ii) subject to the rules of the merit service commission; and\n(iii) from the classified merit service list furnished by the merit service commission; and\n(b) promote, transfer, demote, suspend or remove peace officers in accordance with this part.\n(3) Every peace officer who is serving as such upon the effective date of this part is considered:\n(a) fully qualified for such position without examination or test; and\n(b) to have been appointed and to hold the position of peace officer in accordance with this part.\n(4) Counties with a population of less than 20,000 people may implement a deputy sheriff merit system if:\n(a) the county legislative body approves the deputy sheriff merit system; or\n(b) the people of the county through referendum or initiative approve the deputy sheriff merit system.","path":["Title 17 Counties","Chapter 17-76 County Emergency Personnel Management","Part 17-76-2 Deputy Sheriff Merit System"],"source_url":"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title17/Chapter76/17-76-S202.html","current_through":"2026 General Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T11:34:33Z","sha256":"f6f128f5b0ad7ec63b3a627af0783dc104d976d27d5c19fac0d9e0895d7a15c5","source_id":"us-ut","stale":false,"prev":"us-ut/utah-code-17-76-201","next":"us-ut/utah-code-17-76-203"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}