(1) The sheriff of each county in the State of Mississippi and the officially appointed deputy sheriffs of each county, upon application by the sheriff to the State Tax Commission shall be entitled to purchase a special license plate through such office. Only one (1) such tag shall be allowed to each individual sheriff and deputy sheriff in each tag period, and such tag shall be placed upon the vehicle used in the carrying out of official sheriff’s department duties.

(2) The State Tax Commission is authorized to implement the provisions of this section by its own administrative process, according to the provisions herein. The State Tax Commission shall furnish the special license tags and decals to the sheriff’s office as provided herein, and the cost of such tags and decals shall be the same as established by law for the vehicle licensed.

When a car for which a tag has been issued is sold or traded by the sheriff’s department during the period for which the tag is issued, said tag shall be transferred, in addition to the decals on the tag, to the new or other car replacing the car for which the tag was originally issued.

(3) The tag and decals issued for the sheriffs of the various counties and the deputy sheriffs, shall conform to the provisions of Section 27-19-31, except as follows: The registration number shall be the two (2) digit county code, the initials “S.O.,” and in the space immediately to the right of “S.O.” there shall appear the number “1,” to and including the exact number of deputy sheriffs employed in that particular county. However, the first distinctive license reading “S.O. 1” shall be designated for the sheriff of each county.