What is the difference between a sheriff and police department? Do they govern different things and have completely separate powers? Does one have more jurisdiction over another and what happens when it comes to committing a criminal offence?
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This varies a lot state by state. In Pennsylvania sheriffs are enforcement officers for the county court system. They transport prisoners from jail to court, serve bench warrants if you don’t show up in court, etc. They have no general law enforcement jurisdiction. They don’t write traffic tickets. If you call 911 because you hear a bump in the night you will never get a sherif to show up.
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