Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following definitions apply to this Chapter:
(1) "Commission" means the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission.
(1a) "Critical incident" means an incident involving any use of force by a law enforcement officer that results in death or serious bodily injury to a person.
(2) "Office" or "department" means the sheriff of a county, his deputies, his employees and such equipment, space, provisions and quarters as are supplied for their use.
(3) "Justice officer" means:
a. A person who, through the special trust and confidence of the sheriff, has taken the oath of office prescribed by Chapter 11 of the General Statutes as a peace officer in the office of the sheriff. This term includes "deputy sheriffs", "reserve deputy sheriffs", and "special deputy sheriffs", but does not include clerical and support personnel not required to take an oath. The term "special deputy" means a person who, through appointment by the sheriff, becomes an unpaid criminal justice officer to perform a specific act directed by the sheriff; or
b. A person who, through the special trust and confidence of the sheriff, has been appointed as a detention officer by the sheriff; or
c. A person who is either the administrator or other custodial personnel of district confinement facilities as defined in G.S. 153A-219; however, nothing in this Chapter transfers any supervisory or administrative control over employees of district confinement facilities to the office of the sheriff; or
d. A person who, through the special trust and confidence of the sheriff, is under the direct supervision and control of the sheriff and serves as a telecommunicator, or who is presented to the Commission for appointment as a telecommunicator by an employing entity other than the sheriff for the purpose of obtaining certification from the Commission as a telecommunicator.