Law enforcement must ALWAYS be local. Local is the only way to prevent nationalized tyranny of a police state. Going to the State Police could not be more wrong headed. If one wants to squeeze fiscally, it is much better to downsize the centralized police forces and reduce our out of control entitlement programs.

Many people in Delaware seem to have an oddly twisted view of the Office of Sheriff. I do not understand how the idea came about that the Sheriff is merely a delivery boy and auctioneer with no law enforcement authority.

All four versions of Delaware's Constitution, from the first one adopted in 1776 to the current version adopted in 1897, as well as more than a thousand years of common law tradition make it clear that Sheriff is in fact the highest law enforcement authority in any county. This is accepted without question in most of the United States, and most of the English speaking countries of the world. The "decades" of "long-standing practice" that you refer to clearly pale in comparison.

According to both of my law dictionaries, the law enforcement authority is inherent in the definition of the word. John Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition says:

SHERIFF. The name of the chief officer of the county. In Latin he is called vice comes, because in England he represented the comes or earl. His name is said to be derived from the Saxon seyre, shire or county, and reve, keeper, bailiff, or guardian.
2. The general duties of the sheriff are, 1st. To keep the peace within the county; he may apprehend, and commit to prison all persons who break the peace or attempt to break it, and bind any one in a recognizance to keep the peace. He is required ex officio, to pursue and take all traitors, murderers, felons and rioters. He has the keeping of the county gaol and he is bound to defend it against all attacks. He may command the posse comitatus. (q. v.)
3. − 2d. In his ministerial capacity, the sheriff is bound to execute within his county or bailiwick, all process issuing from the courts of the commonwealth.
4. − 3d. The sheriff also possesses a judicial capacity, but this is very much circumscribed to what it was at common law in England. It is now generally confined to ascertain damages on writs of inquiry and the like.
5. Generally speaking the sheriff has no authority out of his county. 2 Rolle’s Rep. 163; Plowd, 37 a. He may, however, do mere ministerial acts out of his county, as making a return. Dalt. Sh. 22. Vide, generally, the various Digests and Abridgments, h. t.; Dalt. Sher.; Wats. Off. and Duty of Sheriff; Wood’s Inst. 75; 18 Engl. Com. Law Rep. 177; 2 Phil. Ev. 213; Chit. Pr. Index, h. t.; Chit. Pr. Law, Index, h. t.

and Black's Law Dictionary, 6th Ed. says:

Sheriff. Constitutionally elected officer having responsibilities of law enforcement and administration of sheriffs department. Durrell v. Franklin County Com'rs, Me., 532 A.2d 146, 147. The chief executive and administrative officer of a county, being chosen by popular election. His principal duties are in aid of the criminal courts and civil courts of record; such as serving process, summoning juries, executing judgments, holding judicial sales and the like. He is also the chief conservator of the peace within his territorial jurisdiction. When used in statutes, the term may include a deputy sheriff. He is in general charge of the county jail in most states. See also Constable; Marshal.

I personally would much rather have Law Enforcement Officers who are directly answerable to the people, rather than hired or appointed by a Mayor, City Council, County Executive, or Governor, or worse yet, by an unelected City or County Manager. Like Trial by Jury, this is one of the important checks and balances on the power of government that the ruling elite are trying hard to eliminate. If we value what's left of our liberty, we can not allow them to succeed.

Since I don't live in Sussex County, I can't speak to what Sheriff Christopher may or may not have said during his campaign. But I can tell you that I am thoroughly disgusted with the people of New Castle county for caring so little about this issue that they continued to elect such an ineffective Sheriff as Mike Walsh for 30 years simply because he had a donkey logo next to his name on the voting machines. Maybe it's his fault that people think the Sheriff has no power beyond serving paperwork. And Trinidad Navarro has been no better. But I'd still rather have either of them in charge of the county Police than whatever random person the County Executive chooses to appoint. The voters should be able to choose the Officers that enforce the laws as well as the Legislators who make them.

Do you know anything about Section 1021 & Section 1022 of The National Defense Authorization Act Mr. Delaware rube? Do you understand the elected Sheriff would be your last defense?

Historical or not, if we use the "logic" of "way-back-when", & use that as an excuse to trivialize the office of Sheriff, the proverbial 'camel' hasn't only slipped their nose into the tent, it's already IN the tent.

Our Constitution, both Federal & State, was born of those same days... our Traditions, our Laws, our Foundations. Would "Anonymous" please come out of hiding & take responsibility for their comments? Personally, I'd like to know who's comfortable w/ disregarding an Inconvenient Truth. I'd like to know who's willing to sacrifice our last line of defense for a bit of convenience.

Let us keep in mind, all five members of Sussex County Council voted unanimously to relegate the office of Sheriff to that of a messenger. Let's all hope that they don't also vote to remove the rest of our protections, like voting?

BTW, most here have got better things to do, like Campaigning, than fielding cheap pot-shots from those who express their ignorance & cowardice in anonymity.

Perhaps it's from one who stands to benefit? (A DSP officer has been documented, denigrating one of our most basic Foundations w/ this quote: "Oh, the Constitution, that dusty old thing." Name of the officer available upon request.)

Yours, In Liberty,

Gwendolyn "Wendy" Jones,
Sussex Libertarian Party Secretary,
Candidate, DE State Senate, District Six
www.SussexLP.org/Sixth-Senate-District