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Committee considers bill allowing sheriffs to deputize officers to address large eviction backlogs
Summary
A bill discussed would allow a sheriff, in declared emergency situations with large eviction backlogs, to deputize certified officers to help execute eviction orders; sponsors said the measure is permissive and includes training and a limited fee to property owners.
A legislative committee heard a bill that would permit a county sheriff, under specified emergency conditions, to deputize additional officers to help clear a backlog of eviction orders.
A committee speaker described a backlog of eviction cases in Jackson County and said the bill would allow the sheriff, if he chooses, to "deputize...post certified officers" to assist. The speaker said the measure is permissive, would require appropriate training, and would apply when a backlog meets an emergency threshold described in the draft. The speaker noted an example threshold of 250 or more backlog cases and said deputized officers would be permitted to assist in executing eviction orders.
During discussion the committee heard that deputies could be used to reduce a backlog that in some places had reached up to two years for unresolved eviction matters. The draft discussed a fee that a property owner or other requesting party might pay; in testimony the figure mentioned was "no more than $2.50," referenced in oral remarks as a per‑action allowance to cover officer time. Committee members confirmed that the bill would require deputization to be accompanied by proper training and that the authority was permissive, not mandatory.
A committee member asked whether county or local officials had been consulted; counsel replied that affected offices had been contacted and that the bill followed required coordination processes. The transcript does not record a formal vote or final disposition for the measure in the provided segments.
The committee also discussed procedural and operational details, including the sheriff's discretion to use existing personnel and the need for certification and training for deputized officers. Further committee records will be needed to determine whether the bill advances and to capture any amendments or final vote tallies.
