In your everyday busy life, you probably don’t give much thought about your Sheriff’s Office. You may see an article in the newspaper, watch a news story on TV, or see a patrol vehicle along the side of the road.  And let’s face it; you don’t want to think about the Sheriff’s Office because while you know your community needs law enforcement, you never want to need them on a personal level.

I ask that you take just a moment though to consider the following points in regards to your Sheriff’s Office. 

• The Sheriff is an elected official.  You hire, and can fire, him or her.  This means that every four years the Sheriff puts his or her record out for approval.
• To be truly effective a Sheriff must, and does, understand the integrity needed to do the job in a legal and responsible manner and uphold the public trust placed in him or her.
• A Sheriff is more than an individual. A Sheriff has an office behind him or her, made up of deputies, corrections officers, and support personnel. It’s an agency of men and women dedicated to protecting and serving the people of our county.
• Section 57.100 of the Missouri Revised Statutes states that “Every sheriff shall quell and suppress assaults and batteries, riots, routs, affrays and insurrections; shall apprehend and commit to jail all felons and traitors, and execute all process directed to him by legal authority, including writs of replevin, attachments and final process issued by circuit and associate circuit judges.”
• In addition, the Sheriff is responsible for court security, operating the jail, executing warrants, issuing concealed weapon carry permits – and the list of duties goes on.
• The Sheriff’s Office is in your childrens’ schools providing programs that address personal safety, the dangers of substance abuse, and making good choices.

Besides the need for having the personal accountability required to maintain his or her post, the Sheriff must be a professional, trained in the latest law enforcement techniques and criminal justice procedures.  A Sheriff must set the example for the agency, because the agency is a reflection of the person who you hired to be the Sheriff.

A Sheriff needs the support of the community to do the job effectively. Be an informed citizen and communicate with your county Sheriff so he or she can be aware of how best to serve you. Your help can make a difference.