Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 70.540 (2026)

County police force authorized -- Jurisdiction -- Appointment --

✓ current as of May 2026
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Qualifications -- Term -- Oath -- Officers. The county judges/executive of the respective counties shall have and are hereby given the power, jurisdiction and authority to establish, appoint and maintain a county police force within their respective counties, all of the members and officers of which shall have and are hereby given jurisdiction coextensive with the whole county for which they are appointed. Such police force may consist of a chief and such member, rank and grade subordinate to the chief, and such clerical and skilled employees as the county judge/executive shall deem proper. All of the members and employees of the county police force shall be appointed by the county judge/executive and shall serve for a term of one (1) year from the date of their respective appointments, unless sooner removed by the county judge/executive for neglect of duty or improper conduct. All members of the force shall be citizens of the United States not less than twenty-one (21) years of age and residents of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. None but discreet and sober persons shall be appointed to any position on said county police force. Each of the members of the said county police force shall take an oath, before the county judge/executive of their county, to faithfully, impartially and diligently perform the duties of their respective offices. Provided, however, that the chief officer of the county police force of any county may be designated, in the discretion of the county judge/executive of said county, as captain or any other appropriate title, and such county police force in any county may consist of one (1) or more commanding officers, as the county judge/executive of such county may deem proper or adequate. Effective: July 15, 1982 History: Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 88, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982. -- Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 188, sec. 50, effective July 15, 1980. -- Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 384, sec. 164, effective June 17, 1978. -- Amended 1976 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 20, sec. 6, effective January 2, 1978. -- Created 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 115, sec. 1.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases, 1947–1996 · leading case: Metcalf v. Howard, Judge, 201 S.W.2d 197 (Ky. Ct. App. 1947).
Metcalf v. Howard, Judge, 201 S.W.2d 197 (Ky. Ct. App. 1947). · cites it 5× “Pursuant to authority granted by KRS 70.540, the County Court of Harlan County established a police- *501 force and appointed Metcalf as Captain, Baumgardner and Cox as members, and they qualified.”
Fiscal Court of Taylor Cnty. v. Taylor Cnty. Metro Police, 805 S.W.2d 113 (Ky. 1991). · cites it 5× “KRS 70.540. Following that action by the Judge Executive, Taylor Fiscal Court established a county police force merit system.”
Simms v. Farris, 657 F. Supp. 119 (E.D. Ky. 1987). · cites it 2× “—(1) Licenses to sell distilled spirits and wine by the drink for consumption on the premises may be issued only for premises located within cities of the first, second or third class, or elsewhere in counties containing a city of the first, second or third class if those…”
Pearl v. Marshall, 491 S.W.2d 837 (Ky. Ct. App. 1973). “230 provides: “(2) Licenses to sell distilled spirits or wine by the package may be issued only for premises located within incorporated cities, or elsewhere in counties containing a city of the first, second or third class if those counties maintain an adequate police force…”
Adams v. Commonwealth, 931 S.W.2d 465 (Ky. Ct. App. 1996). “It is uncontroverted that the arresting officer was a duly appointed member of the Boyd County Police Department in conformity with KRS 70.540, and, as such, he was a peace officer empowered to make arrests under KRS 431.”
Saylor v. Metcalf, 220 S.W.2d 99 (Ky. Ct. App. 1949). “Sometime prior to November 12, 1947, the County Court of Harlan County, pursuant to KRS 70.540, established a county police force and appointed the two appellees as county patrolmen.”
Tierney v. Pendleton, 253 S.W.2d 376 (Ky. Ct. App. 1952). · cites it 3× “, KRS 70.540. The Legislature, at. its 1952 session, enacted House Bill 115, Chapter 141, 1952' Legislative Acts of Kentucky.”
Tucker v. Kentucky Bar Ass'n, 550 S.W.2d 467 (Ky. 1976). “KRS 70.540. Police officers who investigate motor vehicle accidents routinely appear in court as witnesses in subsequent litigation.”
Hogge v. Rowan Cnty. Fiscal Court, 231 S.W.2d 8 (Ky. Ct. App. 1950). “KRS 70.540 to 70.570, inclusive, provides for a coun *389 ty police force whose jurisdiction shall he coextensive with the whole county for and by which it is created.”
Hogge v. Rowan Cnty. Fiscal Court, 231 S.W.2d 8 (Ky. Ct. App. 1950). “560 authorizes the county to provide police stations, substations, radio, and other means of communication, and to make appropriations therefor.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.