"The office of Sheriff began in
colonial times and has continued as an important
part of local government throughout Virginia's
history. Initially, the Sheriff was not only the
chief law enforcement officer but also the
election supervisor and tax collector. Today,
the Sheriff's responsibilities cover a range of
public safety functions that vary from locality
to locality.
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In most counties,
sheriffs provide all law enforcement
services, including investigating crimes,
pursuing offenders and making arrests. (In
cities and large suburban counties, police
departments handle these functions.)
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Sheriffs maintain local
jails, housing from a handful to hundreds of
offenders awaiting trial or serving short
sentences, and by statute are represented on
governing boards of all regional jails. The
sheriff may also manage other local
corrections programs and transport criminal
defendants to and from corrections
facilities.
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All Virginia sheriffs
provide security in local courthouses, serve
legal papers throughout their jurisdictions,
summon jurors and witnesses, and execute
upon court judgments.
Sheriffs are assisted in their
duties by deputy sheriffs, appointed by the
principal officer."
The above prepared
by the Virginia Association of Local Elected
Constitutional Officers
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