Opinion Number

Dear Sheriff Couvillon:

You first ask this office to advise you whether or not the Vermilion Parish police jury must reimburse the sheriff's office for expenses associated with (1) transporting pre-trial detainees and parish sentenced inmates to court, medical facilities, and to and from overflow facilities, and (2) transporting persons subject to either a coroner's order for protective custody or a physician's emergency certificate.

In the instances described, you advise that you use off-duty deputies and pay them overtime to transport these individuals. The police jury refuses to reimburse…