Qualifications for office; law enforcement certification required; waiver; status and salary while in attendance

19-801b. Qualifications for office; law enforcement certification required; waiver; status and salary while in attendance. (a) No person shall be eligible for nomination, election or appointment to the office of sheriff unless such person: (1) Is a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector of the county; (2) has not been convicted of a crime that would constitute a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or a felony under the laws of this state; (3) has not been convicted of a misdemeanor related to gambling, liquor or narcotics within five years immediately preceding the date of election or appointment; and (4) has: (A) Graduated from a high school accredited by the state board of education or the appropriate accrediting agency of another state jurisdiction; (B) obtained a high school education from a nonaccredited private secondary school as defined in K.S.A. 72-4345, and amendments thereto; or (C) obtained the equivalent of a high school education as defined by rules and regulations of the Kansas commission on peace officers' standards and training. (b) Unless the commission waives the training requirements of this subsection pursuant to K.S.A. 74-5608a, and amendments thereto, any person elected or appointed to the office of sheriff: (1) Shall possess current full-time law enforcement certification from the commission; (2) if such person has allowed such full-time certification to lapse due to more than five years since employment as a Kansas law enforcement officer, shall: (A) Pass the next scheduled written competency test and firearms proficiency qualification course developed and administered by the Kansas law enforcement training center that is available for such person to attend after election or appointment to the office of sheriff, or the subsequent scheduled written competency test and firearms proficiency qualification course; or (B) satisfactorily complete the next scheduled full-time basic training course required by K.S.A. 74-5607a, and amendments thereto, that is available for such person to attend after election or appointment to the office of sheriff, or the one subsequent to it; or (3) if such person has not obtained full-time certification by the commission, shall satisfactorily complete the next scheduled full-time basic training course required by K.S.A. 74-5607a, and amendments thereto, that is available for such person to attend after election or appointment to the office of sheriff, or the one subsequent to it. (c) Unless the training requirements of subsection (b) are waived by the commission, any person elected or appointed to the office of sheriff who does not meet the training requirements of subsection (b) shall complete such training requirements, or forfeit such office. (d) Each newly elected sheriff of each county who is required to attend the law enforcement training center shall be hired as a deputy sheriff and shall be paid a salary as deputy sheriff while attending the law enforcement training center. The tuition, board, room and travel expense for the sheriff-elect at the law enforcement training center shall 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; L. 2012, ch. 89, § 11; L. 2018, ch. 92, § 1; July 1. Attorney General's Opinions: Sheriff; attendance at law enforcement training academy. 79-180. Nomination; sheriff's qualifications. 80-104. Sheriff; qualifications for office. 84-120. DUI diversion with prior expunged offense. 88-98. Sheriff—qualifications for office; education; LETC, qualifications of applicants. 88-128. Primary elections; fees of candidates; reimbursement. 92-58. Person who has been charged with operating a vehicle under the influence and thereafter completes diversion is not disqualified from being a candidate for or holding the office of sheriff. 2012-8. Person convicted of possessing or consuming either alcoholic liquor or cereal malt beverage while under the age of 21 years is disqualified from serving as sheriff. 2013-4. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Person precluded from being candidate for sheriff even if DUI conviction expunged. Chamberlain v. Buhrman, 250 Kan. 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 825 P.2d 168 (1992). Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USEFUL LINKS Session Laws Kansas Administrative Regulations OTHER LEGISLATIVE SITES Kansas Legislature Administrative Services Division of Post Audit Research Department Contact Us PDF Help www.ksrevisor.gov 2026