A US Sheriff was caught on camera ordering his officers to "take out" a suspect who was shot in the head.

Sheriff Oddie Shoupe boasted "I love this shit" after he arrived on the scene of the killing of Michael Zennie Dial II in White County, Tennessee.

"They said we're ramming him," he was recorded saying. "I said don't ram him, shoot them... Ain't going to tear my cars up. If they don't think I'll give the damn order to kill that mother f*** they're full of sh*t."

Apparently unaware he was being filmed by a deputy's body camera, he added: "I love this sh*t. God I tell you what I thrive on it."

He later told his officers: "I made the decision. Don't have to worry about it. I took that away from y'all. You don't have to worry about nothing."

The Sheriff's department is being sued by Mr Dial's widow Robyn Dial, who claims excessive force against her unarmed husband rather than risk damaging patrol cars.

Her suit, which also names the county, the city of Sparta and the two officers who fired their weapons, claims it was 'inappropriate and unconscionable' for Sheriff Shoupe to give the order to use deadly force.

“The comments as seen on the video are extremely disturbing. I’m not sure how anybody can thrive on the taking of a life, let alone somebody in law enforcement,” Dial’s attorney David Weissman told The Guardian.

Sheriff Oddie Shoupe caught on body camera during chase saying 'Take him out'

The chase began in April last year when DeKalb County deputies tried to pull over Dial for driving a pickup truck with a trailer on a suspended licence.

White County deputies took over the pursuit when Dial crossed over on Highway 111 and initially tried to force his vehicle off the road by ramming it from the side. ​

But Sheriff Shoupe radioed his officers to tell them to "take him out by any means necessary including deadly force."

Dial was successfully forced off the road and into a ditch as Reserve Deputy Adam West fired three shots.

When Sheriff Shoupe arrived at the scene he was recorded on a deputy's body camera saying: "I told me I said take him out. I don't give a shit."

The shooting was ruled justified by the county's district attorney Bryant Dunaway in June last year.

Mr Dunaway said Dial ignored stop lights and drove into oncoming traffic before repeatedly ramming into the side and rear of police cars during the pursuit.

A toxicology report revealed that the suspect's blood tested positive for drugs, including methamphetamine, amphetamine and carboxy-THC.