BEDFORD – The Lawrence County Commissioners Tuesday morning approved Sheriff Greg Day’s salary contract. The contract now must be approved by the County Council.
Indiana county sheriffs, by law, have several options as to how they’re paid.
They can take a straight salary, with no extras.
In the past, a sheriff could also make money by keeping the cost of inmate meals low. But according to current Indiana Law, the sheriff shall pay for feeding prisoners from meal allowances received under IC 36-8-10-7. The sheriff or the sheriff’s officers, deputies, or employees may not make a profit from the meal allowances. After the expenses of feeding prisoners are paid, the sheriff shall deposit any unspent meal allowance money in the county general fund for use for any general fund purpose.
Sheriffs can take not only a salary but also receive a cut of unpaid taxes collected by tax warrants.
Sheriff Day by law has the option to be paid an additional percentage from the tax warrant collection fees, but Sheriff Day refused to accept that allowing the county to keep those funds.
