As used in this article, the term “law enforcement officer” shall mean an official who is certified by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission who has authority to make arrests and who is employed by any municipality in the state as a permanent and regular employee with law enforcement duties, including police chiefs and deputy police chiefs. The term does not include any person elected by popular vote, any person who is serving a probationary period of employment, or any person whose term of office has expired.