Sec. 5.5. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the sheriff has complete hiring authority over the position of chief deputy.
(b) A chief deputy who was a county police officer appointed under section 10(b) of this chapter immediately before being hired as chief deputy is entitled to the discipline and removal procedures under section 11 of this chapter before:
(1) being reduced in grade to a rank below the rank that the person held before being hired as chief deputy; or
(2) removal from the department.