the top law enforcement officer for a county, usually elected and responsible for
police protection outside of incorporated cities, management of the county jail,
providing bailiffs for protection of the courts, and such civil activities as serving
summonses, subpenas and writs, conducting judgment sales, and fulfilling various
functions ordered by the courts. The office was brought to the United States from
England and is unknown in most nations which use federal and state police. Canada,
for example, has the highly professional Royal Canadian Mounted Police (and its
Quebec equivalent) to serve for most non-municipal law enforcement. The position
of sheriff has been criticized as lacking training standards, being overly political,
not being coordinated with other jurisdictions, and being hampered by its lack of
authority beyond the county line except when in "hot pursuit" of a suspect who crosses
the county line. The sheriff's uniformed police are called "deputy sheriffs," with
the number two person often entitled "under sheriff. "
law dictionary, legal
dictionary, online law dictionary, legal terms dictionary,
online legal dictionary, legal definition, legal
terms and definition, Best online Dictionary, Law
Dictionary Software, Download Law Dictionary, law
dictionary, legal dictionary, online law dictionary,
legal terms dictionary, online legal dictionary,
legal definition, legal terms and definition, Best
online Dictionary, Law Dictionary Software, Download
Law Dictionary
