26638.15

GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 26638.15




26638.15.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board of
Supervisors of Merced County may abolish, by ordinance, the Merced
County Marshal's office and establish a court security division in
the Merced County Sheriff's Department. If the board of supervisors
chooses to abolish this office, the following provisions shall apply:
   (a) The sheriff shall be appointing authority for all division
personnel. The person selected by the sheriff to oversee the
operation of court security services shall report directly to the
sheriff, or his or her designee.
   (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all personnel of
the marshal's office affected by the abolition of the marshal's
office in Merced County shall become employees of the sheriff's
department at their existing or equivalent classification, salaries,
and benefits.
   (c) Permanent employees of the marshal's office on the effective
date of transfer of services from the marshal to the sheriff pursuant
to this section shall be deemed to be qualified, and no other
qualifications shall be required for employment or retention.
Promotions for all personnel from the marshal's office shall be made
pursuant to standards set by the sheriff. Probationary employees in
the marshal's office on the effective date of the abolition shall not
be required to serve a new probationary period. All probationary
time served as an employee of the marshall shall be credited toward
probationary time required as an employee of the sheriff's
department.
   (d) All county service with the marshal's office by employees of
the marshal's office on the effective date of the abolition of the
marshal's office shall be counted toward seniority in the court
security division of the sheriff's department.
   (e) No employee of the marshal's office on the effective date of a
consolidation pursuant to this section shall lose peace officer
status, or otherwise be adversely affected as a result of the
abolition and merger of personnel into the sheriff's department.
   (f) The personnel of the marshal's office who become employees of
the sheriff's department may not be transferred from the division in
the sheriff's department under which court security services are
provided unless the transfer is voluntary.
   (g) Personnel of the abolished marshal's office shall be entitled
to request an assignment to another division within the sheriff's
department, and that request shall be reviewed in the same manner as
any other request from within the department.