Police dept vs Sheriff’s dept

A police dept and a sheriff’s dept are both law enforcing organisations. These two departments may cooperate in many ways but these two are different in all aspects. Though the two departments have the same goal of providing public safety, they differ in every way.

One of the main differences between a police dept and a sheriff’s dept is pertaining to their area of jurisdiction. A sheriff’s office is a law-enforcing agency that looks after law enforcement or jail services pertaining to a county or subdivisions in a state. A police dept on the other hand looks after law enforcement in a specific city, municipality, town or village. While a police dept’s service is limited to a small area, a sheriff’s dept has jurisdiction over a wide area.

The police dept performs various functions for public safety. They also perform various public services like providing safety education and security within their jurisdiction limits. In large cities, the police dept may specialize groups like riot police and bomb squad. Well, a sheriff’s dept also perform all these functions. Despite all these, it also acts as a coroner’s office, where deaths that require investigation are sent.

Another noticeable difference is that while the police dept handles all city calls and other calls that pertain to their jurisdiction limits, the sheriff’s dept handles all calls from the county. As the sheriff’s dept has a higher jurisdiction, they can often help the various police depts.

Another thing is that the Sheriff’s office has been established by the State Constitution. The duties and responsibilities of Sheriff’s office are outlined in the Constitution. On the other hand, a police dept has been established under municipal regulations. While the sheriff’s are elected officials, the Police chiefs are appointed.

‘Sheriff’ is a word derived from the Old English concept of ‘shire reeve,’ a man who looked after the interests of the King in a shire or district. Police is a word that has its origins in 1700s, which referred to local law enforcement.

Summary
1.A sheriff’s office is a law-enforcing agency that looks after law enforcement or jail services pertaining to a country or subdivisions in a state. A police dept on the other hand looks after law enforcement in a specific city, municipality, town or village.
2.While a police dept’s service is limited to a small area, a sheriff’s dept has jurisdiction over a wide area.
1.The Sheriff’s office has been established by the State Constitution. a police dept has been established under municipal regulations.