7-32-235. Search and rescue units authorized — under control of county sheriff — optional funding. (1) A county may establish or recognize one or more search and rescue units within the county.

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(2)(a) Except in time of martial rule as provided in 10-1-106, search and rescue units and their officers are under the operational control and supervision of the county sheriff, or the sheriff’s designee, having jurisdiction and whose span of control would be considered within reasonable limits.

(b)A county sheriff or the sheriff’s designee may authorize the participation of members of the civil air patrol, including cadets under 18 years of age, in search and rescue operations.

(3)Subject to 15-10-420, a county may, after approval by a majority of the people voting on the question at an election held throughout the county, levy an annual tax on the taxable value of all taxable property within the county to support one or more search and rescue units established or recognized under subsection (1). The election must be held as provided in 15-10-425.

(4)A search and rescue unit established or recognized by a county may possess human remains as defined in 37-19-101 for the purpose of training canines used for search and rescue work.

(a)The county sheriff or the sheriff’s designee shall keep an inventory of all human remains that are kept for the purpose of training search and rescue canines. The inventory must be updated when the search and rescue unit receives human remains or disposes of human remains that are no longer useful to the search and rescue unit.

(b)Each search and rescue unit that possesses human remains for the purpose of training search and rescue canines shall establish policies and standard operating procedures for access to, the inventory of, and the possession and disposal of human remains kept for the purpose of training search and rescue canines.