Comment by ahmeneeroe-v2
5 months ago
Yeah, in Washington state law, sheriffs are called out "the chief executive officer and conservator of the peace of the county."
Additionally, they're the only law enforcement officer directly accountable to the people, since they're elected. This isn't true of literally any other law enforcement at any level (local to fed).
Here in Fairfax County, VA, we have a sheriff, who is elected, but they only run the courthouse and prison. We also have an unelected (appointed by the county board of supervisors, who are elected) police department that handles regular law enforcement.
Very interesting. In King County WA they have an elected "County Executive" who then appoints the King County Sheriff. That Sheriff does have normal law enforcement and court duties.
I believe that is an aberration in WA state though.
Neighboring Loudoun County has a sheriff handle all law enforcement duties.
And the other neighboring county, Prince William, has a distinct sheriff, police department, and the detention center runs itself (not the sheriff). So the sheriff only does court room security and tracking of fugitives.
> Additionally, they're the only law enforcement officer directly accountable to the people, since they're elected.
Usually this is probably a good thing, but sometimes their need to be popular with locals means the position gets filled by loud mouthed showboaters who even get themselves into national news with their not always harmless antics. Most of the most famous/notorious police in America have been sheriffs for this reason. Joe Arpaio, Mike Chitwood, etc.
While true, they're still accountable to their electorate. Their electorate just happens to love loudmouthed bullies.
This is the primary critique of democracy, not just American sheriffs.
In Washington specifically we have Loren Culp, who breaks that trend - he was a Police Chief of Republic, WA rather than a sheriff.
Did they break the trend, or expand the trent? Your post seems to imply the latter -- he was police chief rather than sheriff, but still a loud mouthed showboater? If it was about breaking the trend, I'd assume the example would be a sheriff with actual substance.