1. In addition to the deputies authorized to be appointed pursuant to N.J.S.40A:9-117, the sheriff of any county may designate and appoint deputy sheriffs to serve at the pleasure of the sheriff without compensation. The sheriff may appoint the lesser of either 85 deputy sheriffs or one deputy sheriff for every 10,000 inhabitants of the county, according to the latest federal decennial census. At the time of or prior to their appointment, all deputy sheriffs shall have completed an appropriate course of training approved by the Police Training Commission. As an auxiliary force of the sheriff’s office, they shall assist in providing for the health, safety and welfare of the people of the State of New Jersey and aid in the prevention of damage to and the destruction of property during any emergency and such other duties as may be prescribed and directed by the sheriff.

No sheriff shall appoint or continue the designation of any deputy sheriff pursuant to this section unless the governing body of the county shall appropriate moneys for the entire cost of effecting and maintaining insurance with any insurance company authorized to do business in this State for acts or omissions committed by such deputy sheriffs in the course of their official duties.

L.1975,c.272,s.1; amended 1981, c.462, s.47; 2004, c.149.