since i was 4 years old iv wanted to be a police officer and im now 13, but now most people are recomending that i should become a sheriff because they have more power and get paid more. i want to know what their duties are.
2007-02-25 13:01:30 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
As others have said, a police officer usually has jurisdiction in a city, town or village, and a sheriff has jurisdiction over an entire county. The actual position of "Sheriff" is an elected position, which means the Sheriff has to deal with politics in order to get elected. He/she doesn't exactly have to be a police officer. He can be anyone that wants to run for sheriff (who meets the qualifications to enter the race) and who can get elected.
Many people say "sheriff" when they actually mean any of the deputies that work as officers for the Sheriff's department.
In our county, the pay rates for our deputies and our city police officers are comparable.
In a lot of jurisdictions, the actual Sheriff is the person who runs the county jail. He's responsible for all the prisoners and their care. In some places, he is also the person who serves summons and subpeonas to people telling them when they are ordered to appear in Court.
2007-02-25 14:06:29 · answer #1 · answered by Mama Pastafarian 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A police officer, does things like arrest speeders and investigate crimes (breaking into a house, murder). If they arrest somebody, they take them to the jailhouse and turn them over to a deputy sheriff.
A sheriff deputy works for the local court. They provide security at the court house. They take people from jail to the court house. And from the court house back to jail. They run the jail.
In some places, both the sheriff deputies and police department will allow people to go with them - to see what the job is like. Some call it "Police Ride-Along". In most cases, you have to be at least 18 years old. I did this 4 times (after I turned 21). It was fun and interesting.
Until then, you could write your local Office of the Sheriff or Police Department and tell them you are interested and ask them if they have any tours (of their office building/jail) that you would be allowed to visit. (With your parents permission.)
2007-02-25 22:56:50 · answer #2 · answered by John Hightower 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A police officer works for a village or town and a sheriff works for an entire county which can cover several villages.
2007-02-25 21:09:56 · answer #3 · answered by Akbar B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sheriff himself is an elected official and the highest ranking LEO in the county. he has more power then god, but most of the time he doesnt invoke it. highway patrol and state police are basically the same, but their duties differentiate between states.....state police often perform all police duties to include traffic and highway patrol usually just patrols the interstates. in states where there is a Highway Patrol and not a state police, then they add in another agency to do the investigative functions of statewide police work which in TN is called the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, similiar to you TX ranges however not as pretige. State law and agreements usually dictates who gets what call, responds where with who and how.
2007-02-25 21:07:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sheriffs are elected officials and usually are over a county/parish ect...Police Officer are municipal employees..usually but not always civil service....deputy sheriffs are basically just police officers for the county/parish but sometimes have higher court functions also...
2007-02-25 21:04:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
police officer works for the city, sheriff works for the county. The county has more jurisdiction.
2007-02-25 21:24:08 · answer #6 · answered by glamour04111 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋