Law Enforcement - Historical Notes

Sheriff

The following acts have no current effect but are included here for reference purposes since they once applied to the Perry County Sheriff's Office.

1. Acts of 1822, Chapter 72, provided that the Sheriff of Perry County shall advertise all lands reported by him and all other lands he may be compelled to sell, and the Ranger shall advertise all strays in some newspaper in Columbia, any law, custom, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.
2. Acts of 1825, Chapter 136, stated that the Sheriffs of Humphreys, Perry, and Hardin Counties, the Rangers, and other public officers may advertise the sale of lands under execution, and estrays, which the law requires to be advertised in some newspaper, in some public newspaper in Jackson, Tennessee.
3. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 534, stated that in Perry County, identified by the use of the 1910 Federal Census figures, the Sheriff shall receive the sum of $750 per annum, payable quarterly, out of the county treasury, provided an accurate sworn, itemized statement showing the total amount of fees collected in the office shall be filed with the County Judge, or Chairman, showing the source, also, from whence the fees come. Fees for boarding prisoners were not to be included in the total. If the fees failed to equal the above salary, the county would pay the difference to the Sheriff, who must also pay his own deputies out of these allowances.
4. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 903, fixed the annual salary of the Sheriff of Perry County at $1,200 per year as compensation for his services, payable quarterly, out of the regular county treasury. The Sheriff must file with the County Judge a sworn, itemized account of all the fees collected by his office, excluding the fees for boarding prisoners. The county would pay the Sheriff the difference if the fees fail to equal the salary. The Sheriff was prohibited from giving the fees to anyone, and shall pay their deputies out of the salary herein provided.
5. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 660, set the salary of the Sheriff of Perry County and the Bledsoe County at $2,000 per year in addition to amounts received by the Sheriff for the boarding of prisoners and turnkeys which amount would be paid out of the regular county funds on a warrant drawn by the County Judge, or Chairman.
6. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 547, stated that the salary of the Sheriff of Perry County shall be and is, hereby fixed at $50 per month, plus the fees collected by the said office under the law, except the fees for summoning veniremen, the said $50 to be paid out of regular county funds.
7. Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 441, established that the sheriff was to be paid out of the county treasury not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000 per year.