Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L
Special Interests - Groups & Societies => Cas City Historical Society => Topic started by: Hickok55 on June 26, 2022, 09:26:31 AM
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Does anyone know if a sheriff is higher ranked than a Marshal in the old west?
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There were different law enforcement jurisdictions in the old west just like there are now. There were town marshals, who were roughly equivalent to police chiefs; in some cities and towns they were in fact called police chiefs. There were also county sheriffs just like there are currently county sheriffs. In addition there were US marshals (or more accurately deputy US marshals) that handled federal crimes just like the current US marshals do. In the old west, there were often overlaps between these various positions. It was not uncommon for a county sheriff to also carry a commission as a US marshal in order to give him jurisdiction outside of his county and to enforce federal laws. Town marshals we're often deputized as county sheriff's deputies for the same reason. Of course most county sheriffs and some town marshals had deputies working under them.
So as far as ranking them, I wouldn't really say that a county sheriff higher rank a town marshal; they just have different jurisdictions and responsibilities.
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Does anyone know if a sheriff is higher ranked than a Marshal in the old west?
In Territories, US Marshals were the lead. After statehood, it depends on the state's constitution.
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ok thank you both
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In my state (Arizona) The County Sheriff is the highest ranking law enforcement in the county. His jurisdiction includes all cities, towns and villages. City or town PDs do not have jurisdiction outside of the city or town limits. When I was a deputy sheriff we were taught in the academy we had the authority to enforce all laws, Federal, State, County, and town or city, according to the State Constitution.
I was a deputy in the 1970 and 1980s. I don't know how much that had changed from the 19th Century, nor do I know how it might have changed since I retired, in this the 21st Century.
Dave
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In my state (Arizona) The County Sheriff is the highest ranking law enforcement in the county. His jurisdiction includes all cities, towns and villages. City or town PDs do not have jurisdiction outside of the city or town limits. When I was a deputy sheriff we were taught in the academy we had the authority to enforce all laws, Federal, State, County, and town or city, according to the State Constitution.
I was a deputy in the 1970 and 1980s. I don't know how much that had changed from the 19th Century, nor do I know how it might have changed since I retired, in this the 21st Century.
Dave
In the years of the Arizona Rangers (1901-1908) they were the top law enforcement of the state, hence the resentment from other agencies in the state.