In the interpretation of this part, "participant" includes county sheriffs, trustees, state court clerks, county clerks, county mayors, registers of deeds, assessors of property, chief administrative officers of the county highway departments, county legislative body members, and the staff, employees, deputies and assistants to such officials who take courses under the county officials certificate training program (COCTP) as administered by the University of Tennessee institute for public service's center for government training.
T.C.A. § 5-1-302