My old hometown Newspaper, the Times Union, in Albany NY, runs a small section in the paper from the newspaper 100-years ago today… Back then, the Chief of Police did not know that Criminals used Automobiles for Criminal Purposes. Yet, so many other postings that occurred 100-years ago, covered “Rum Runners” in running gun battles with the local police as they try to stop trucks hauling illicit whiskey and beer crossing the border from Canada during Prohibition…
I don’t know about police chiefs but sheriffs are elected by the public. Yes they enforce the law but are also aware of the opinions of the general public and the impact on their career. Same for county attorneys. Prosecute or non prosecute that the public disagrees with and it’ll be back to private practice. Weren’t many rum running prosecutions in South Dakota because it was a popular sport.
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In NY, police chiefs were appointed. and Sheriffs were elected. I don’t know about now.
In NJ, our township police chief is appointed by the Mayor. Our county sheriff is elected, but his jobs are running the county jail, providing security for the courts, serving warrants, conducting sales of foreclosed and tax delinquent properties. The sheriff’s office does not perform routine law enforcement duties. Those duties are performed by the professionally trained police department.
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