§ 19-510. County sheriff - Qualifications.

Any person, otherwise qualified, who has been a resident of the State of Oklahoma for two (2) years, has been a registered voter of the party whose nomination he or she seeks, or a registered Independent, within the county from which such person seeks election for the six (6) months next preceding the first day of the filing period, except in 2004, when such person must have been a qualified registered elector no later than December 21, 2003, is at least twenty-five (25) years of age next preceding the date of filing for office, possesses at least a high school education, shall be eligible to hold the office of county sheriff or to file therefor.  Provided, however, in counties with populations of five hundred thousand (500,000) or more, the person seeking election shall also be a current certified peace officer in good standing.  Within twelve (12) months of taking office, all newly elected or appointed sheriffs shall complete a sheriff’s administrative school which has been developed by the Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association and which has been approved by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET).  Failure to complete the sheriff’s administrative school within the specified period shall preclude the new sheriff from obtaining CLEET certification.  New sheriffs with prior CLEET certification, who fail to attend the sheriff’s administrative school, shall have their CLEET certification revoked.  Provided, however, the provisions of this section relating to qualifications shall not apply to any person serving as a county sheriff or to any person previously serving as county sheriff prior to the adoption of this statute.

Added by Laws 1976, c. 157, § 1, emerg. eff. May 28, 1976.  Amended by Laws 1992, c. 181, § 4, eff. July 1, 1992; Laws 1999, c. 37, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2000, c. 15, § 1, emerg. eff. April 3, 2000; Laws 2003, c. 184, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2004, c. 53, § 5, emerg. eff. April 1, 2004.