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Old 06-23-2011, 02:08 PM
 
Location: The Republic of Texas
78,866 posts, read 46,504,056 times
Reputation: 18520

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Should Police Chiefs be elected like County Sheriffs and Constables?


The wonder why there is so much difference in the actions of a city appointed police chief and an elected Sheriff.

Who is the Police chief held accountable to??? Why the need for a police mediator and monitor in major metropolitan areas?

A Sheriff gets booted out of office by the people. The Police chief has an employment contract. Who works for who. Who's best interest is at mind in these similar tasks... are they the same, or very different?
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Old 06-23-2011, 02:50 PM
 
58,749 posts, read 27,080,924 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BentBow View Post
Should Police Chiefs be elected like County Sheriffs and Constables?


The wonder why there is so much difference in the actions of a city appointed police chief and an elected Sheriff.

Who is the Police chief held accountable to??? Why the need for a police mediator and monitor in major metropolitan areas?

A Sheriff gets booted out of office by the people. The Police chief has an employment contract. Who works for who. Who's best interest is at mind in these similar tasks... are they the same, or very different?
In most urban areas the Police Chief is appointed by the mayor, making it a political appointment. Not always a good idea.
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Old 06-23-2011, 03:03 PM
 
42,732 posts, read 29,808,044 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Quick Enough View Post
In most urban areas the Police Chief is appointed by the mayor, making it a political appointment. Not always a good idea.
I think a lot of police chiefs are hired by the city council, or whatever form a municipality's elected government takes. And they can be fired by the same body. City councils do have to make public their criteria for hiring police chiefs and the like, and the people who vote for the city council generally have a pretty vocal voice in these matters.
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Old 06-23-2011, 03:05 PM
 
31,387 posts, read 36,975,677 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BentBow View Post
Should Police Chiefs be elected like County Sheriffs and Constables?
An interesting question and probably dates back to the mid-19th century when formal police departments were first formed.

I think that one reason for the election of a Sheriff is because their area of jurisdiction often overlap a number of political jurisdictions while a police chief is only responsible for a specific unified political jurisdiction so it would stand to reason that if mayors, like governors and the President, are considered the highest law enforcement officers of their political entity, then it would be necessary for the city police chief to be subservient to the chief elected executive.
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Old 06-23-2011, 10:25 PM
 
Location: The Republic of Texas
78,866 posts, read 46,504,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovcatto View Post
An interesting question and probably dates back to the mid-19th century when formal police departments were first formed.

I think that one reason for the election of a Sheriff is because their area of jurisdiction often overlap a number of political jurisdictions while a police chief is only responsible for a specific unified political jurisdiction so it would stand to reason that if mayors, like governors and the President, are considered the highest law enforcement officers of their political entity, then it would be necessary for the city police chief to be subservient to the chief elected executive.

That makes sense.

Thanks for the education on the matter.
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Old 06-23-2011, 10:30 PM
 
Location: MO
2,122 posts, read 3,671,528 times
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Across the nation, Sheriff's and their Deputies have different roles too. Where I'm from, they are full on law enforcement for the entire county. But in counties with high populations (such as a big city), usually they just serve papers & run the jail.

Not sure if Sheriff's are elected by the people in County Charter type governments.....
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Old 09-11-2011, 07:02 PM
 
1,595 posts, read 2,759,236 times
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Reviving thread.

Um is this about County Police Chiefs or Municipal Police Chiefs?

BTW why the need for both. If there are Municipal Police in each Municipality and County then why the need for County Police?

Also why not privatize all the County Correctional Facilities which are under the Sheriffs. It would cut down enormously on the insanely high pensions that not only go the employee but their spouses because it's pays out so much and it's for the lifetime of both. Why not privatize the County jails/corrections
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Old 09-11-2011, 07:06 PM
 
Location: Currently I physically reside on the 3rd planet from the sun
2,220 posts, read 1,874,522 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BentBow View Post
Should Police Chiefs be elected like County Sheriffs and Constables?


The wonder why there is so much difference in the actions of a city appointed police chief and an elected Sheriff.

Who is the Police chief held accountable to??? Why the need for a police mediator and monitor in major metropolitan areas?

A Sheriff gets booted out of office by the people. The Police chief has an employment contract. Who works for who. Who's best interest is at mind in these similar tasks... are they the same, or very different?
Wow, as usual Bent you offer interesting and intelligent ideas for thought.

I'm not sure what all the ramifications would be but that is definitely and interesting idea.
It seems at first glance that it would definitely hold them more accountable to the people who live under their jurisdiction.
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Old 09-11-2011, 09:26 PM
 
Location: The Republic of Texas
78,866 posts, read 46,504,056 times
Reputation: 18520
Quote:
Originally Posted by cantthinkofaname View Post
Reviving thread.

Um is this about County Police Chiefs or Municipal Police Chiefs?

BTW why the need for both. If there are Municipal Police in each Municipality and County then why the need for County Police?

Also why not privatize all the County Correctional Facilities which are under the Sheriffs. It would cut down enormously on the insanely high pensions that not only go the employee but their spouses because it's pays out so much and it's for the lifetime of both. Why not privatize the County jails/corrections


You did revive an old one!

County / Parish have elected Sheriffs, not called Police.

Police are city hired security force.

If a big city is in a county, is it the sheriffs job to police the police?

Hahahaha!
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Old 09-11-2011, 09:51 PM
 
15,445 posts, read 21,289,268 times
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I think the town of Madrid, New Mexico has a Town Sheriff but I don't know how New Mexico does those sorts of things. The town is in Santa Fe County.

Madrid (pronounced Mad-rid) is the little mining town northeast of Albuquerque that was portrayed in the movie called Wild Hogs. The last time I was up there I don't recall seeing any police but I always use to see the colorful sheriff.
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