Police vs. Sheriff — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 26, 2023
Police are law enforcement officers employed by municipal, city, or state governments. Sheriffs are elected or appointed officials responsible for law enforcement within a county or parish.
Difference Between Police and Sheriff
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Police officers have jurisdiction within specific municipalities, cities, or districts, enforcing local and state laws. Sheriffs have jurisdiction over an entire county, including unincorporated areas, and are responsible for enforcing state and county laws.
Police officers are typically employed by city or municipal governments, and some work for state law enforcement agencies. Sheriffs are elected officials in many counties and may have their own deputies. They work at the county level of government.
Police departments focus on specific urban or municipal areas, addressing issues within those boundaries. Sheriff's offices cover entire counties, including rural and unincorporated regions, where they provide law enforcement services.
Compare with Definitions
Police
Law enforcement officers who patrol neighborhoods and investigate crimes, such as the police officer directing traffic.
Sheriff
Manages law enforcement within a county, including serving legal documents, like when the sheriff delivers court summons.
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Police
Officers who protect communities, as illustrated by the police presence during public events.
Sheriff
Law enforcement at the county level, such as the sheriff's deputies patrolling rural areas.
Police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and the use of force legitimized by the state via the monopoly on violence.
Sheriff
Elected to represent and protect the interests of the county, exemplified by the sheriff's role in maintaining order during public gatherings.
Police
A body of government employees trained in methods of law enforcement and crime prevention and detection and authorized to maintain the peace, safety, and order of the community.
Sheriff
Ensures courtroom security and enforces state and county laws, as seen in the sheriff's presence during trials.
Police
A body of persons with a similar organization and function
Campus police. Also called police force.
Sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous although independently developed office in Iceland that is commonly translated to English as sheriff, and this is discussed below.
Police
(Archaic) Regulation and control of the affairs of a community, especially with respect to maintenance of order, law, health, morals, safety, and other matters affecting the public welfare.
Sheriff
A public officer in the United States with responsibility for certain law enforcement and administrative legal duties, such as making arrests and serving processes, usually for a particular county.
Police
(Informal) A group that admonishes, cautions, or reminds
Grammar police.
Fashion police.
Sheriff
A public officer in various other countries performing certain law enforcement, judicial, or ceremonial functions.
Police
The cleaning of a military base or other military area
Police of the barracks must be completed before inspection.
Sheriff
(High Sheriff) An official of a shire or county office, responsible for carrying out court orders, law enforcement and other duties.
Police
The soldiers assigned to a specified maintenance duty.
Sheriff
(Scotland) A judge in the sheriff court, the court of a county or sheriffdom.
Police
To regulate, control, or keep in order with a law enforcement agency or other official group.
Sheriff
(US) A government official, usually responsible for law enforcement in their county and for administration of the county jail, sometimes an officer of the court, usually elected.
Police
To impose one's viewpoint or beliefs regarding, especially in an authoritarian way
Policing others' comments by implementing speech codes.
Sheriff
To carry out the duties of a sheriff
Police
To critique in a presumptuous or arrogant manner
Policed the grammar of everyone who commented on the blog post.
Sheriff
The chief officer of a shire or county, to whom is intrusted the execution of the laws, the serving of judicial writs and processes, and the preservation of the peace.
Police
To make (a military area, for example) neat in appearance
Policed the barracks.
Sheriff
The principal law-enforcement officer in a county
Police
A public agency charged with enforcing laws and maintaining public order, usually being granted special privileges to do so, particularly
Call the police!
Sheriff
An elected or appointed county official responsible for law enforcement, as the sheriff oversees county jails.
Police
A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.
The Sheriff's Department has jurisdiction across most of Chicago but focuses on the unincorporated area and tasks like prisoner transport, leaving the rest to the Chicago Police Department.
Police
(UK) A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.
Police
Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.
Police
The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; an individual police officer.
Police
People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.
Who called the fashion police?
Police
Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.
Police
Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.
Police
(obsolete) policy.
Police
(obsolete) polity, civilization, a regulated community.
Police
(transitive) To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).
Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game.
Police
To clean up an area.
Police
To enforce norms or standards upon.
To police a person's identity
Police
A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough.
Police
That which concerns the order of the community; the internal regulation of a state.
Police
The organized body of civil officers in a city, town, or district, whose particular duties are the preservation of good order, the prevention and detection of crime, and the enforcement of the laws.
Police
Military police, the body of soldiers detailed to preserve civil order and attend to sanitary arrangements in a camp or garrison.
Police
The cleaning of a camp or garrison, or the state a camp as to cleanliness.
Police
To keep in order by police.
Police
To make clean; as, to police a camp.
Police
The force of policemen and officers;
The law came looking for him
Police
Maintain the security of by carrying out a control
Police
Maintain public order, respond to emergencies, and enforce local and state laws, as seen when police apprehend a suspect.
Police
Local law enforcement, like the police officer helping a lost child.
Police
Provide safety and security in cities and towns, as evident in police officers assisting accident victims.
Common Curiosities
What are the ranks within a police department?
Common ranks include officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and chief of police, each with varying responsibilities and authority.
How are police officers trained and certified?
Police officers typically undergo extensive training at police academies and must meet specific certification requirements set by state law enforcement agencies.
What is the primary role of the police?
Police officers are primarily responsible for maintaining public safety, enforcing laws, and responding to emergencies within specific municipalities.
Can a sheriff's jurisdiction overlap with a city's police department?
Yes, in some cases, a sheriff's jurisdiction includes unincorporated areas within a city or town, but city police departments handle law enforcement within city limits.
What is the role of sheriff's deputies?
Sheriff's deputies assist the sheriff in carrying out law enforcement duties, including patrolling unincorporated areas, serving legal papers, and providing courtroom security.
Can police officers cross jurisdictional boundaries to make arrests?
Police officers generally have authority only within their own jurisdiction, but some states allow for limited cross-jurisdictional authority under specific circumstances.
What is the main responsibility of a sheriff?
The primary duty of a sheriff is to oversee law enforcement within a county, including managing county jails and serving legal documents.
Do all cities have their own police departments?
No, some smaller municipalities may contract law enforcement services from county sheriff's offices or neighboring police departments.
How is a sheriff different from a police chief?
Sheriffs are typically elected officials responsible for an entire county, while police chiefs are appointed or hired to lead municipal police departments.
Do all counties have elected sheriffs?
Not all counties have elected sheriffs; some appoint sheriffs or have other law enforcement arrangements.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
