Metro just wants to make sure everyone knows exactly what the sheriff's powers are:

Saul Solomon, director of the Metro Department of Law, told The City Paper Friday he plans to file legislation for a charter amendment that would more clearly spell out three authorities of the sheriff’s office: the booking of people after they’re arrested, providing security at court and taking DNA samples of inmates.

“The sheriff has undertaken over the years a number of initiatives that arguably can be viewed under the purview of the police rather than the sheriff,” Solomon said, adding that the legal department still believes the sheriff has the “current authority” to carry out the three items outlined in the amendment.

“Given that reasonable people can differ on this,” he added, “we thought it would be a good opportunity to go ahead and make it clear in the charter.”