No arrest authority for Sheriffs

[Ret10Echo]

This is an interesting story from Delaware.

Apparently the State's "Supremes" have determined that being a "conservator of peace" does not translate to arrest authority for County Sheriffs.

This just seems rather odd. The focus of the case was the Sussex County Sheriff's office, but there are several other County Sheriffs operating within Delaware.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP/WBOC) - The Delaware Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that sheriffs in Delaware do not have police powers.

In a 26-page opinion released Monday, the justices affirmed a March ruling by a Superior Court judge upholding the constitutionality of a bill passed by state lawmakers that bars sheriffs and their deputies from making arrests.

Full ruling attached:

[Pete]

Must be something in their state's constitution since lawmakers passed a law..

I don't remember off hand but NC does have specified duties for elected Sheriff's and their Deputies - serving warrants and summons comes to mind.

I would think the deligated LEO duties would be the same for counties as it would be for cities.

Must be a turf war with the big city Chief's.

Edited to add - OK, I read the ruling. That was really pretty interesting. From that rulling I'd have to agree with the Judges. Still don't know what got everyone so we-weed up that they had to pass a law stripping powers Sheriffs had gathered over the yeras.

[rdret1]

Sheriffs have traditionally been the only law enforcement officers in unincorporated areas of a given county. By taking powers of arrest away from them, those duties now have to be transferred to another state or municipal agency, most of which are cash strapped and have difficulties maintaining full manpower. Now, in Delaware at least, those other agencies will have to pick up the investigative and prosecutorial slack for those Sheriff's departments. This ruling makes the Sheriff's Department nothing more than a rent-a-cop agency that has the additional duties of being baby-sitters for the jails. It is a very bad idea, but seems to be in line with the current thought processes of today's Liberals. As with most of their brilliant ideas, it will blow up in their faces.

[PSM]

They may be trying to establish precedent in order to challenge the western states' sheriffs who have said that they would arrest federal agents trying to enforce illegal federal laws.

Pat

[Utah Bob]

This is a political fight that has been going on for a while in Delaware. It's not over yet.

[Oldrotorhead]

This is the DE Supreme Ct. if has nothing to do with any other State. DE will reap what they have sown. Remember they have elected Joe Biden over and over as an example.

[Box]

Are firemen still allowed to extinguish flames ?