Disability benefits.

Any sheriff of any county of this state who served as a law-enforcement officer for at least 20 years, 16 of which have been as a sheriff, and who becomes totally disabled while performing duties relative to law enforcement shall be able to receive disability payments equal to the retirement payments set out in Section 36-22-43, and shall continue to receive said disability payments only so long as said person suffers said total disability.

(Acts 1975, No. 1231, p. 2591,§2.)