§36-22-3. Duties generally.

(a) It shall be the duty of the sheriff:

(1) To execute and return the process and orders of the courts of record of this state and of officers of competent authority with due diligence when delivered to him or her for that purpose, according to law.

(2) To attend upon the circuit courts and district courts held in his or her county when in session and the courts of probate, when required by the judge of probate, and to obey the lawful orders and directions of such courts.

(3) To, three days before each session of the circuit court in his or her county, render to the county treasury or custodian of county funds a statement in writing and on oath of the moneys received by him or her for the county, specifying the amount received in each case, from whom and pay the amount to the county treasurer or custodian of county funds.

(4) To, with the assistance of deputies as necessary, ferret out crime, apprehend and arrest criminals and, insofar as within their power, secure evidence of crimes in their counties and present a report of the evidence so secured to the district attorney or assistant district attorney for the county.

(5) To perform such other duties as are or may be imposed by law.

(b) Any of the duties of the sheriff set out in subsection (a) or as otherwise provided by law may be carried out by deputies, reserve deputies, and persons employed as authorized in Section 14-6-1 as determined appropriate by the sheriff in accordance with state law. Persons undertaking such duties for and under the direction and supervision of the sheriff shall be entitled to the same immunities and legal protections granted to the sheriff under the general laws and the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as long as he or she is acting within the line and scope of his or her duties and is acting in compliance with the law.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 14-6-1, 32-7-23, and this section, nothing in Section 14-6-1 and this section shall serve as a bar to an individual's or entity's recovery under the uninsured motorist coverage of the individual or entity, or prevent an insured from being legally entitled to recover damages under the uninsured motorist coverage of the insured.

(Code 1852, §690; Code 1867, §818; Code 1876, §730; Code 1886, §810; Code 1896, §3739; Code 1907, §5870; Acts 1909, No. 81, p. 107, §1; Code 1923, §10189; Code 1940, T. 54, §5; Act 2011-685, p. 2067, §§1, 2.)