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Duties of the Sheriff

Go To: Code of Ethics

Sheriff -- General duties.
Utah Code 17-22-2.

  1. The sheriff shall:
      2.     
    • preserve the peace;
      •        
    • make all lawful arrests;
      •        
    • attend in person or by deputy the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals when required or when the court is held within his county, all courts of record, and court commissioner and referee sessions held within his county, obey their lawful orders and directions, and comply with the court security rule, Rule 3-414, of the Utah Code of Judicial Administration;
      •        
    • upon request of the juvenile court, aid the court in maintaining order during hearings and transport a minor to and from youth corrections facilities, other institutions, or other designated places;
      •        
    • attend county justice courts if the judge finds that the matter before the court requires the sheriff's attendance for security, transportation, and escort of jail prisoners in his custody, or for the custody of jurors;
      •       
    • command the aid of as many inhabitants of his county as he considers necessary in the execution of these duties;
      •       
    • take charge of and keep the county jail and the jail prisoners;
      •         
    • receive and safely keep all persons committed to his custody, file and preserve the commitments of those persons, and record the name, age, place of birth, and description of each person committed;
      •       
    • release on the record all attachments of real property when the attachment he receives has been released or discharged;
      •        
    • endorse on all process and notices the year, month, day, hour, and minute of reception, and, upon payment of fees, issue a certificate to the person delivering process or notice showing the names of the parties, title of paper, and the time of receipt;
      •        
    • serve all process and notices as prescribed by law;
      •        
    • if he makes service of process or notice, certify on the process or notices the manner, time, and place of service, or, if he fails to make service, certify the reason upon the process or notice, and return them without delay;
      •        
    • extinguish fires occurring in the undergrowth, trees, or wooded areas on the public land within his county;
      •        
    • perform as required by any contracts between the county and private contractors for management, maintenance, operation, and construction of county jails entered into under the authority of Section 17-53-311;
      •        
    • manage search and rescue services in his county;
      •       
    • obtain saliva DNA specimens as required under Section 53-10-404;
      •       
    • on or before January 1, 2003, adopt a written policy that prohibits the stopping, detention, or search of any person when the action is solely motivated by considerations of race, color, ethnicity, age, or gender; and
      •        
    • perform any other duties that are required by law.
  2. Violation of Subsection (1)(j) is a class C misdemeanor. Violation of any other subsection under Subsection
    • is a class A misdemeanor.
  • Amended by Chapter 140, 2002 General Session
  • Amended by Chapter 219, 2002 General Session

 

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B

As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve the community; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the  innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, quality and justice.

I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all and will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to me or to my agency.

I will maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule; develop self – restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed both in my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the law and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.

I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, political beliefs, aspirations, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of police service. I will never engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers. I will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representatives in the pursuit of justice.

I know that I alone am responsible for my own standard of professional performance and will take every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve my level of knowledge and competence. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession … Law Enforcement.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE

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