Why I Support an Elected Sheriff
Today, many counties and cities have moved away from having an elected sheriff as the chief law enforcement officer, instead choosing to have this individual appointed by the county executive or mayor. I believe this is a mistake for the following reasons:
1.) Accountability
The sheriff answers directly to the voters through election. He must give an account for his performance and behavior every four years. If the citizens are not pleased with his performance, or if they think someone else can do better, they have a remedy.
As an entity not under the control of the executive or legislative branches, the elected office of sheriff provides an additional check and balance to the other branches. Those branches hold the sheriff in check by controlling the money and making the laws. Unions, if functioning properly, can provide an additional check on the sheriff.
2.) Fiscal Responsibility
In Harford County, the Sheriff’s Office has been in
existence for over 230 years. To change this setup would require spending millions of taxpayer dollars to create a new bureaucracy, hire new workers, build new facilities, and purchase new vehicles and equipment. Further, it would create turf battles as different divisions struggle to keep what they have worked for over many years. The time, money, and effort would be better spent on hiring new deputies, improving pay, and investing in training and equipment that will make daily operations safer, more efficient, and more effective.
3.) Provides a remedy to the “Old Boy” network
Because the office of sheriff is elected, ordinary citizens can stop the nepotism, double standards, inconsistency and favoritism found so often in bureaucracies. If there is corruption, mismanagement, or misconduct in the office, concerned citizens can vote for someone else. In Maryland, the elected sheriff need not have a law enforcement background. This benefits the voters as they will have more choices of candidates to represent them with varied backgrounds and experiences, increasing the chances that their voices will be heard. Law enforcement wields a great deal of power and there are many opportunities for abuses of that power. The sheriff, as the people’s representative in law enforcement, should be a guardian of individual liberty. If the sheriff fails to protect individuals and their property from unwarranted government intrusion or harassment, the voters can fire him. If the sheriff chooses not to enforce an unconstitutional or harassing mandate of an executive, the executive cannot remove him.
4.) “The buck stops here!”
Many agencies that are controlled by mayors and councils are in constant conflict because those officials can each bring their own agenda to the operation of the agency. An entire council and the executive each trying to run the agency can wreak havoc on the chain of command. This often creates a chief of police who is nothing more than a figurehead. Having a single individual, the elected sheriff, who will be accountable to the people and take responsibility for the operations of the agency, is far more preferable in my opinion.
5.) Disaster readiness
One advantage the sheriff has is the ability to deputize individuals in times of emergency. If there is a riot, natural disaster, or terrorist attack which causes a shortage in manpower, the sheriff can temporarily deputize people to assist. This is an extremely valuable tool during these types of situations.
Although I believe there are serious problems with the current administration, the solution is not for citizens to give up their voice in law enforcement matters. Rather, the opposite is true. Citizens need to pay closer attention to the behavior of their sheriff and hold him accountable for what he is and isn’t doing in the community and in the agency. Our entire government derives its power from the consent of the governed, and law enforcement is no exception.
If entrusted with this position, I WILL be accountable to the people of Harford County. I will promote, protect, honor and defend the great name of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. The citizens of this county and the hard working men and women of this agency deserve nothing less.
Committee to Elect Dave Tritt · Authority Brian K. Powell, Treasurer.