What is the difference between Sheriff and Police?

[Passions]

I always thought Police is for big cities, and Sheriff for small towns. But that doesnt really seem to be the case ne mo. So anyone know the real difference?

 

[Total Refected Power]

Aren't Sheriffs elected?

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

county vs. city payroll.

 

[palad]

I had always assumed Sheriffs were county and Police were city, but I never knew for sure. Anyone?


/edit

Just looked it up in the Cambridge Dictionary

sheriff noun [C]
(in the US) an official, sometimes elected, whose job is to be in charge of performing the orders of the law courts and making certain that the laws are obeyed within a particular county

police plural noun
the official organization that is responsible for protecting people and property, making people obey the law, finding out about and solving crime, and catching people who have committed a crime

 

[Pyxis]

I believe that sheriffs have jurisdiction in a whole county, while police only in their city. I could be wrong though.

 

[Electric Amish]

Yes. Sheriffs usually patrol the areas around the "Cities". They can also contract with cities to provide their services.

amish

 

[Passions]

Well I live in Vista, and they still use Sheriff's. But then they dont rule over North County, I dont think? They just cruise around Vista. Hmmm.....

 

[akshatp]

My brother - in - law is a sherriff...

The difference is that the Sherriff can preside over the entire county, as opposed to just a city.

They also do the prisoner transfers and stuff.

 

[GD695372]

Hmm...The sheriff doesn't have to protect people or their property.

HAHA!

 

[BoberFett]

Sheriffs are judicial branch, police are executive, AFAIK.

 

In NY there are 2 sheriffs per county.
They have authority in any area in the entire county.
Means crossing city and town borders.

 

[urbantechie]

Cops is suck. I got arrested for skating past curfew while filming for a video at a school. Must of been my fault though

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Sheriff's represent the county, while Police departments represent a city. Transfers, arrests, or other matters that occur at the county level will be conduncted by the sheriff's department. Anything at the city level will be handled by the city's police department. Some jails are city, some are county, some are state, some are federal, and others are military. Transferring between levels will be handled by either the in-coming or out-going juridiction.

BTW, I am guessing at all this.

Whatever you do, don't shoot the sheriff...or the deputy.

 

[Frenchie]

The difference varies by jurisdiction. Typically the police are responsible for the city and the Sheriff for the county. In PA, Sheriff's are NOT considered law enforcement. State Police have jurisdiction over the entire state, while cities/townships have their own local police. The sheriff works for the courts. They deliver process, transport prisoners for the courts, provide security for the courthouse, etc.

 

[Emulex]

in metro atlanta, sheriffs run the jail, and transport prisoners, serve warrants. Its very unlikely to get pulled over by a sherriff.

They leave that up to the police, state patrol, DOT cops..

 

[Tripleshot]

What is the difference between Sheriff and Police?



The size of thier guns?

 

[Ornery]

In our county, we have cities that don't have their own police department. They call the county sheriff when they hear noises outside their windows.

Now what bugs me, is that I pay for the county sheriff and local police. But if I hear a noise outside, I'm supposed to call the police instead of the sheriff. Why can't I call the sheriff, to help take the load off my local police? I pay his salary too. And yet he seems to be only at the disposal of the people that choose not to pay for their own police department! :|

 

[yakko]

They are spelled differently.

 

[CliffC]

Sheriffs usally have jurisdiction where no other municpality has any. There main duties are that of Administration though. Such as the serving of warrants and other court documents. Here in NC you will be pulled for a traffic violation by the DMV before you will be pulled by a Sheriff. I don't think I've ever seen a Sheriff with a radar where I live.