1. No person is eligible to the office of sheriff unless the person:

(a) Will have attained the age of 21 years on the date he or she would take office if so elected;

(b) Is a qualified elector; and

(c) On or after January 1, 2010, meets the requirements set forth in subsection 2 or 3, as applicable.

2. If a person described in paragraph (c) of subsection 1 is a candidate for the office of sheriff in a county whose population is 100,000 or more, the person must meet the following requirements at the time he or she files his or her declaration of candidacy for the office:

(a) He or she has a history of at least 5 consecutive years of employment or service:

(1) As a peace officer;

(2) As a law enforcement officer of an agency of the United States;

(3) As a law enforcement officer of another state or political subdivision thereof; or

(4) In any combination of the positions described in subparagraphs (1), (2) and (3); and

(b) He or she has:

(1) Been certified as a category I peace officer by the Commission;

(2) Been certified as a category I peace officer or its equivalent by the certifying authority of another state that, as determined by the Commission, imposes requirements for certification as a category I peace officer in this State; or

(3) Successfully completed a federal law enforcement training program approved by the Commission.

3. If a person described in paragraph (c) of subsection 1 is a candidate for the office of sheriff in a county whose population is less than 100,000, the person is not required to meet any requirements with respect to employment, service, certification or training at the time he or she files his or her declaration of candidacy for the office. However, such a person forfeits his or her office if, within 1 year after the date on which the person takes office, the person fails to earn certification by the Commission as a category I peace officer, category II peace officer or category III peace officer.

4. A person who has been convicted of a felony in this State or any other state is not qualified to be a candidate for or elected or appointed to the office of sheriff regardless of whether the person has been restored to his or her civil rights.

5. As used in this section:

(a) “Category I peace officer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 289.460.

(b) “Category II peace officer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 289.470.

(c) “Category III peace officer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 289.480.

(d) “Commission” means the Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission created pursuant to NRS 289.500.

(e) “Declaration of candidacy” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 293.0455.

(f) “Peace officer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 289.010.

(Added to NRS by 2003, 2135, 2696; A 2007, 581; 2019, 3415)