What is the difference?

[misbehave]

What is the difference between sheriff, police, and state trooper?

 

[RyanJayG]

jurisdiction.... police = city, sheriff = county, and trooper = state

 

[SciFiMan]

What is the difference between sheriff, police, and state trooper?

Someone can jump in for more clarity, but basically there are local village/town/city Police (a generic term that could also apply to park rangers and US Marshals) that just take care of problems within their borders.

Sheriff is broader and depending on location typically handle a county wide area an rural areas. Minor things like fender benders inside a township a sheriff deputy wait with the damaged cars but call in the local police to handle it and then leave when they arrive. They also do more resource intensive tasks when small villages don't have the manpower or equipment: some accident investigation. Mostly they handle back roads areas.

Troopers pretty much stick to highways but they also handle statewide tasks. This usually includes controlling the forensic labs, doing the background checks for firearms applications, security for state officials and sometimes for visiting VIP's (with oversite from the secret service field office).

At depends on what powers the States grant to each level though, and whether they have none or limited power in neighboring states.

 

[vodapas77]

Those guys nailed it. Now Togan can you explain to me what is the Mounted Police (Mountie?) equivalent to? Or are they at a federal level?

 

[CatD399]

The RCMP (mounties) are federal,but in this part of the country they stick to criminal investigations mostly. Provincial police will have different names (OPP Ontario Provincial Police, SQ Suret du Qubec, RNC Royal Newfoundland Constabulary etc...); they do the highways, investigations and some back-up stuff; then the locals; big cities have their own, smaller villages either get the provincials or band together to form their own. That's about it. Maybe someone else can add to this.


woops, just noticed you were asking togan; sorry!

 

[misbehave]

Thanks guys!
Great explainations!

 

[JunkPunch]

I believe sheriff is also an elected position, where local and state police are usually just hired by the town/state.

 

[nate0123]

don't forget Highway Patrol

 

[vodapas77]

Thanks CatD, I figured Mounties were federal but didn't know how that worked with the provinces.

The Sheriff is an elected position (at least where I am from). In fact the Sheriff in many cases may have no law enforcement background. For example our Sheriff was a former Marine who became a barber and then used the recognition he had from being the barber in a small town to run for Sheriff and win, many times. Too many times.

Police Chiefs are in some cases hired and in other cases appointed (by the city's Mayor and confirmed by city council). This varies from place to place.

As for Highway Patrol I was always under the impression that was a division of the State Police. It seems different states call it different things. In IL we didn't have a highway patrol. Instead we have a Secretary of State's Police. Basically they handle traffic enforcement on commercial transport while the state police takes care of passenger vehicles. Other states I have driven through use the same principal refering to it as the Motor Carriage Authority or some such thing.