page_title: Sheriffs in the United States
section_title: New York
hierarchical_section_title: Sheriffs in the United States / Sheriff types by state / New York
caption_attribution_description: English: Lewis R. Stegman circa 1900
context_page_description: In the United States, a sheriff is an official in a county or independent city responsible for keeping the peace and enforcing the law. Unlike most officials in law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected, although some states have laws requiring certain law enforcement qualifications of candidates. Elected sheriffs are accountable directly to the citizens of their county, the constitution of their state, and ultimately the United States Constitution.
  The responsibilities of sheriffs and their agencies vary considerably by county. Many sheriffs have the role of a police chief, though some lead agencies with limited law enforcement duties. Sheriffs are also often responsible for managing county jails and security at local government buildings.
context_section_description: Like most other states, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs in the State of New York are regular law-enforcement officers with full police powers and duties such as patrol work, prisoner transport, civil process, and court security.
  Many sheriff's offices in New York State also have canine, marine, aviation and SWAT units, as well as various other specialized units. In several sheriff's offices throughout the state, an undersheriff is often the warden of the county jail or second-in-command of the entire agency.
  Until recently, most sheriff's officers wore a standardized uniform (black pants and shirt with dark gray straw Stetson hat in the summer and a black felt Stetson hat in the winter with a black Class A jacket for the dress uniform and a black leather jacket for the winter) and all patrol vehicles were marked in the same manner (white with red stripes, etc.). Several counties have moved away from these practices. Patrol cars in these counties have different vehicle markings, and deputy sheriffs wear different uniforms. Some examples are Ulster County, which has dark gray uniforms similar to the New York State Police; and Warren County, whose deputy sheriffs wear tan shirts with dark brown pants. Dutchess County Deputy Sheriffs wear tactical Class B uniforms consisting of black shirts and black pants and a Class A uniform with light blue shirts with darker blue pants. In Suffolk County, the sheriff vehicles are black and white (similar to the police/sheriff vehicle scheme used in California). In New York City, deputy sheriffs wear a uniform very similar to sworn NYPD personnel. Ontario County Sheriff's deputies wear the traditional uniform; black pants, black shirt with brass buttons, and a black stetson.
  Currently there are 57 county sheriff's offices, and one city sheriff's office (see below) which covers the five boroughs (counties) of New York City. The largest sheriff's office in New York State is the Erie County Sheriff's Office, followed by the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department with around 275 deputies and 900 correction officers.
  Sheriffs in New York State (outside of New York City, Nassau and Westchester Counties) are elected for three or four-year terms, depending on the vote of the county government, specifically the county legislature. The Sheriff of New York City is appointed by the mayor (see below) and the Sheriffs of Nassau County and Westchester County are appointed by the county executives of those respective counties.
caption: Lewis R. Stegman King's County NY Sherriff 1881
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