Eric
 |
In the United States, there are the Police departments who are responsible for precincts within a city, or the entire city if it is small enough. They are run by a police chief or police comissioner if large.
The Sheriff's department is responsible for all other areas with the same COUNTY, that are either rural, or towns that do not have a police department.
The Sheriff is different from a police chief. The Sheriff is an elected position, anyone who meets the requirements may run for it. There have been cases that even non-law enforcement persons have held that title, but it is usually an administrative position. The Sheriff determins rules of engagement, policy within the department, and may alter those policies in the publics interest (within the law) or to help public relations. Its a very very important position, as the sheriffs policies of how his/her deputies conduct themselves will determine how all law enforcement in the county are viewed by the public.
The Sheriff's position is also different from a police chief in other ways. If a police chief commits a crime, he can be arrested by just about any other law enforcement officer. A Sherrif can usually only be arrested by the county coroner. Why the coroner? It's about balance of power, domestic tranquility. The Sheriff is not subject to rules and policies issued by other law enforcement agencies, only to enforcement of law.
If an arrest is called for, usually another law enforcement officer would present the coroner with the evidence and if convinced, the coroner would then direct the law enforcement officers to place the sheriff under arrest. In more rare cases, the coroner would discover the evidence and would then start the process.
Another way the Sheriff is different is this. The governor of the state is the executive law enforcement officer of that state and may issue orders to any law enforcement officers or chiefs and if they do not obay, the governor may remove them from their duty or even fire them. The governor can also issue orders to a sheriff, but the sheriff does NOT have to obay them. If the sheriff declines, he/she may be subject to fines, but that is where it ends.
If its a case of arresting someone in the Sheriffs county, the governor could order the state police to do so, but would not have control over the policies of that county. Again, it's about balance of power.
If you wish to run for sheriff, you need to look at the laws of the state, and county and see the requirements, and make sure you know the duties.
I hope this helped. |
No Spam
Adult 
Gambling
Unfinished
Deception
Plagiarism
Not English
