The DeKalb County Sheriff's Merit Board is a body organized by Indiana Code 36-8-10-3. The Merit Board consists of five members. The Sheriff appoints three members, and the two remaining members are elected by a majority vote of the merit deputies.

The Merit Board oversees the pension and disability plans for all merit deputies. The Merit Board holds regular monthly meetings to transact business that pertains to the merit deputies. They have jurisdiction over final approval of hiring, firing, demotion or serious disciplinary action of any merit officer unless on probation.

The Merit Board system holds the Sheriff accountable for keeping standards high in hiring and provides for fair and equitable treatment of deputies. Regardless of whom the Sheriff is at any given time, this system of accountability, transparency, and fairness provides and keeps integrity on serious personnel issues in DeKalb County.

Each Merit Board member is appointed for a term of four years.