Sec. 5. (a) Each sheriff shall appoint a prison matron for the county. The sheriff shall set the qualifications for that position. Except as provided in subsection (b), the sheriff has complete hiring authority over the position of prison matron.

     (b) A prison matron who was a county police officer appointed under section 10(b) of this chapter immediately before being hired as prison matron is entitled to the discipline and removal procedures under section 11 of this chapter before:

(1) being reduced in grade to a rank below the rank that the person held before being hired as prison matron; or

(2) removal from the department.

     (c) The sheriff may employ assistant prison matrons if necessary.

     (d) The prison matron or the prison matron’s assistants shall receive, search, and care for all female prisoners and all boys under fourteen (14) years of age who are committed to or detained in the county jail, municipal lockup, or other detention center in the county.

     (e) The prison matron and assistant matrons:

(1) are members of the department;

(2) have the powers and duties of members of the department; and

(3) are entitled to the same salary that other members of the department of the same rank, grade, or position are paid.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citations: subsections (a), (b) formerly 17-3-6.3-1; subsection (c) formerly 17-3-6.3-2; subsection (d) formerly 17-3-6.3-3.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.61. Amended by P.L.237-1996, SEC.1.