(1) An eligible employee may transfer into the county civil service system for the sheriff's office by filing a written request with the county civil service commission and by giving written notice thereof to the legislative authority of the city or town. Upon receipt of such request by the civil service commission the transfer of employment shall be made. The employee so transferring will (1) be on probation for the same period as are new employees of the sheriff's office, (2) be eligible for promotion after completion of the probationary period as completed, (3) receive a salary at least equal to that of other new employees of the sheriff's office, and (4) in all other matters, such as retirement, vacation, etc., have, within the county civil service system, all the rights, benefits, and privileges that he or she would have been entitled to had he or she been a member of the county sheriff's office from the beginning of his or her employment with the city or town police department. The city or town shall, upon receipt of such notice, transmit to the county civil service commission a record of the employee's service with the city or town which shall be credited to such member as a part of his or her period of employment in the county sheriff's office. The sheriff may appoint the transferring employee to whatever duties he or she feels are in the best interest of the department and the individual.

(2) If in the process of contracting for law enforcement services economies or efficiencies are achieved or if the city or town intends by such contract to curtail expenditures and the level of services to the city or town, then only so many of the transferring employees shall be placed upon the payroll of the sheriff's office as the sheriff determines are needed to provide the contracted services. These needed employees shall be taken in order of seniority and the remaining employees who transfer as provided in RCW 41.14.250, 41.14.260, and 41.14.270 shall head the list of their respective class or job listing in the civil service system in order of their seniority, to the end that they shall be the first to be reemployed in the county sheriff's office when appropriate positions become available.