As used in this part:

1. (1) "Appointing authority" means the sheriff of a county having jurisdiction over any peace officer.
2. (2) "Commission" means the merit system commission consisting of three individuals appointed in accordance with Section 17-76-203 and having the duty, power, and responsibility for the discharge of the functions of this chapter.
3. (3) "Department of Public Safety" means the department created in Section 53-1-103.
4. (4) "Eligible register" means the list made by a commission described in Subsection 17-76-209(1) that contains the names of all applicants that took the examination and that received a passing grade.
5. (5) "Examination" means the competitive examination for employment as a peace officer described in Section 17-76-207.
6. (6) "Member" means an individual appointed to the merit commission in accordance with Section 17-76-203.
7. (7) "Merit system officer" means a peace officer who has merit status as defined in this part.
8. (8) "Peace officer" means any paid deputy sheriff, other than a chief deputy designated by the sheriff, who is in the continuous employ of a county.

9. (9) "Police interlocal entity" means an interlocal entity, as defined in Section 11-13-103, that is created:

   1. (a) under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal Cooperation Act, by an agreement to which a county of the first class is a party; and
   2. (b) to provide law enforcement service to an area that includes the unincorporated part of the county.

10. (10) "Police special district" means a special district, as defined in Section 17B-1-102:

    1. (a) whose creation was initiated by the adoption of a resolution under Section 17B-1-203 by the legislative body of a county of the first class, alone or with one or more other county legislative bodies; and
    2. (b) that is created to provide law enforcement service to an area that includes the unincorporated part of the county.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1