1. The sheriff of each county of the third and fourth classes shall appoint such deputies, assistants and other employees as the sheriff deems necessary for the proper discharge of the duties of office and may set their compensation within the limits of the allocations made for that purpose by the county commission. The compensation for the deputies, assistants and employees shall be paid in equal installments out of the county treasury in the same manner as other county employees are paid.

2. The assistants and employees shall hold office at the pleasure of the sheriff.

3. Deputies shall hold office pursuant to the provisions of sections 57.015 and 57.275.

4. The provisions of this section shall not become effective until the supreme court of the state of Missouri has issued an opinion, or until an opinion of a circuit court of the state of Missouri has become final, stating substantially that section 57.250 is invalid or unconstitutional in part or as a whole, and that a sheriff has no authority to appoint deputy sheriffs pursuant to such section. Once either of such events occurs, then this section shall become effective as of the date the opinion of the supreme court becomes effective or as of the date the opinion of the circuit court becomes final, as the case may be, or October 1, 1983, whichever occurs later.