In the U.S., the sheriff system is a rather unique aspect of law enforcement, and to understand it, you need to look at the country's administrative structure.
As many may not know, the U.S. originally started as a set of colonies, not as a single nation. The so-called Thirteen Colonies that formed the early foundation of the U.S. were territories established or seized primarily by British colonizers.
Each colony functioned independently, which means that the American Revolutionary War was not like a revolution or a dynastic change as seen in Chinese history. If you had to draw a comparison, it would be somewhat like the alliances formed during the Spring and Autumn period in China, where various feudal states gathered, negotiated power-sharing agreements, and eventually established a central authority—the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)—as the capital.
These thirteen "feudal states" formed a union, called the United States of America, which is why the relationship between state governors and the president is not a direct superior-subordinate hierarchy. This explains why it's common to see governors and the president publicly clash in the news.
As the colonizers expanded across the continent, exterminating most of the Native American population (similar to how North American bison were nearly wiped out), new states were gradually formed and added to the union. This is why the original Thirteen Colonies are often referred to as the foundation of America.
To simplify, you can think of the 50 states as 50 semi-independent entities. This idea is even reflected in the flag of California, which still bears the words "California Republic."
California was originally part of Mexico. After the Mexican-American War in 1846, settlers in the region staged a short-lived rebellion and declared the Republic of California. This republic lasted only 25 days before Mexico was forced to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ceding the territory to the U.S. California then joined the U.S. as a state.
During the early development of these colonies, cities (City) did not spring up overnight; they grew slowly over time. While land-grabbing was easy, gathering enough people and building infrastructure took much longer. Before cities emerged, most states were primarily composed of towns (Town), which grouped together to form counties (County), the second-level administrative division within a state.
Some towns flourished and developed into cities, while others stagnated or even disappeared over time. Regardless, both cities and towns are classified as municipalities, the third-level administrative division under counties.
For those accustomed to centralized governance, this system can be confusing. If you were to compare American states to Chinese provinces, you'd find that counties and cities in the U.S. often do not align in size or jurisdiction. In most cases, counties are larger than cities and may contain multiple cities. Furthermore, unlike in China, there is no separate administrative unit for rural areas.
Take California as an example. Its largest county, Los Angeles County, covers an area that includes 88 cities, including the city of Los Angeles. In contrast, New York City is unique in that it is composed of five separate counties: New York County (Manhattan), Kings County (Brooklyn), Bronx County (The Bronx), Richmond County (Staten Island), and Queens County (Queens).
Now let's focus on the main topic: sheriffs. Before these regions were formally organized into states, there were still settlers who needed someone to maintain order. This is where the sheriff, a locally elected law enforcement official, came into play.
These settlers were often rough frontiersmen who had seized land from Native Americans. Though lawless in many ways, even these pioneers wanted peace and order once they settled down.
In some areas, people would elect a town or city council, appoint a mayor, and then let the mayor handle public affairs, including law enforcement. The mayor would appoint a police chief to lead a local police force, like the LAPD or NYPD, or smaller town departments like the one in which Jack once worked in Magrave.
However, in more remote, less developed areas where resources were scarce, counties would collectively choose a strong, capable individual to serve as sheriff. The county council would grant the sheriff enforcement authority, symbolized by the iconic star-shaped badge. If the sheriff needed help, they would deputize assistants, called sheriff's deputies, who sometimes only served temporarily. These deputies might even have to return their badges after their duties were completed.
Unlike police departments, sheriff's offices (as they are called instead of "police stations") are responsible for law enforcement in areas not covered by local or state police. This system, reminiscent of the self-governing practices of ancient Chinese village leaders, persists today.
The scope of a sheriff's responsibilities varies greatly depending on the state or county. In addition to general law enforcement duties like arresting criminals, delivering court documents, and enforcing court orders, sheriffs may also be responsible for protecting courthouses, judges, juries, and even managing county jails. In some counties, tasks like traffic control, environmental enforcement, accident investigation, prisoner transport, drug enforcement, and autopsies also fall under the sheriff's jurisdiction.
The size and capabilities of a sheriff's office depend on the county's resources. Small counties may have just a few deputies, while large counties might have specialized units such as K9 teams, mounted patrols, and even helicopters.
In areas without state or municipal police coverage, sheriff's offices are often the primary law enforcement agency—especially in remote, impoverished regions.
Jack was not particularly eager to deal with sheriff's offices. In his experience, cases referred by them often came with little to no support, not necessarily because of a bad attitude but because these offices were usually stretched too thin.
Take St. Francis County, where the team was currently investigating. Covering nearly 2,000 square kilometers with a population of fewer than 30,000 people, the county's district attorney's office consisted of just one prosecutor and three assistants. The sheriff's office was similarly understaffed.
When Jack's team arrived at the crime scene, a pool hall, there wasn't even a deputy present—only a locked metal gate. After several phone calls, an elderly, drunken man claiming to be the bar owner finally arrived. He unlocked the gate with a rusty key, pointed to a corner of the bar, and promptly fell asleep on a table.
Alice was stunned when she saw an old, tape-based surveillance system from the 1990s.
"Should I get some popcorn?" Aubrey joked.
VCR rentals were still popular in the U.S. even in the early 2000s, with many families fondly remembering weekend movie nights. However, this industry had since died out, replaced by streaming services like Netflix.
Still, seeing a VCR-based security system was a rare sight. It wasn't until Jubal and JJ confirmed the prosecutor Skip Hardy's alibi that Alice managed to get the machine working.
Aubrey returned with a tub of popcorn, and Hannah brought some chairs. The team sat around the TV as if preparing for a movie night.
"Let's hope this ancient relic actually recorded something useful," Jack said, placing a few sodas on the table.
Alice rolled her eyes at the playful group, inserted the correct tape, and after a moment of static and screen flickering, the footage finally appeared. The FBI team, including Clive, cheered like kids at a movie premiere.
(End of Chapter)
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