§ 45-49-234 — Jail Store; Disposition of Funds

(a) The Sheriff of Mobile County or the authorized agents of the sheriff may operate a jail store for prisoners within the confines of the county jail. The jail store shall be operated to serve the needs of the jail population.
(b)(1) The sheriff shall establish and maintain a Law Enforcement Fund in a bank located in Mobile County. All proceeds collected under this section shall be deposited by the sheriff into the Law Enforcement Fund.
(2) The sheriff or authorized agent of the sheriff shall keep an account of all jail store sales and transactions of the Law Enforcement Fund for audit by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. The jail store account and Law Enforcement Fund shall be audited at the same time other accounts of the sheriff are audited.
(c) All profits realized in the operation of the jail store shall be expended for any lawful purposes by the sheriff for the operation of the office of the sheriff including, but not limited to, office equipment, communication equipment, expense allowances, training, the operation of the Mobile County Jail, and any other expenses for the enhancement of law enforcement in the county. No expenditure shall be made for the personal benefit of the sheriff or for salary increases or additional compensation to any deputy or other sheriff’s office personnel.
(d) The establishment of the Law Enforcement Fund and the use of the proceeds shall not diminish or take the place of any other source of income established for the sheriff or the operation of the office.
(e) Any actions relating to the operation of a jail store in the county jail prior to May 21, 2009, are ratified and confirmed. Any existing proceeds derived from the operation of the jail store in the county jail prior to May 21, 2009, shall be deposited into the Law Enforcement Fund created by this section.

Legislative History

(Act 2009-720, p. 2139, §§ 1-5.)