New York City Sheriff's Office
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| New York City Sheriff's Office |
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| Established | 1626 |
| Jurisdiction | Municipal |
| Sheriff | Lindsay Eason |
| Website | Official Site |
The New York City Sheriff's Office is a division of the New York City Department of Finance. [1] The Sheriff is appointed, unlike most Sheriffs in New York State that are elected officials. [2]
The New York City Sheriff is the chief civil law enforcement officer for the City of New York. NYC Sheriff's Deputies are peace officers. Responsibilities include revenue collections in civil situations; collecting funds or making arrests for parents in arrears of child-support payments; and collecting on judicial judgments, and parking or moving violations. They handle enforcement judgments for both small claims and Supreme Court (criminal court). Such responsibilities may involve collection of unpaid taxes, enforcement of unpaid environmental fines, seizure of property and evictions. The sheriff also may sell real and personal property to satisfy judgments, and perform civil arrests. The Sheriff's office has also become involved with cigarette-tax enforcement as well as assisting the NYC Department of Buildings in enforcing Stop Work Orders. In addition, the Sheriff sells vehicles not recovered by their owners, checks towed vehicles to determine if they are stolen, and enforces court judgments through a variety of programs.
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[edit] History
The New York City Sheriff's Office was created in 1626. The Sheriff in each borough was the law enforcement agency with the widest jurisdiction until the New York City consolidation in 1898 when the New York City Police Department took over responsibility for criminal investigations. The New York City Sheriffs were responsible for running the correctional facilities in their counties until 1942, when the New York City Department of Correction was established.[3]
[edit] First national law enforcement death
On May 17, 1792, Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith is the first law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty in the United States. [4] Deputy Smith was deputized by the Westchester County Sheriff and was killed in an area of the South Bronx that was later annexed by New York City in 1874. [5]
[edit] Diversity of work performed
All law enforcement duties executed in the name of the Sheriff are performed by Deputy Sheriffs. Because of the highly diverse law enforcement duties deputy sheriffs encounter, Deputy Sheriffs are cross trained in many areas of criminal law and civil law. The NYC Sheriff can be considered the "Jack of All Trades" law enforcement officer. It is not unusual for a deputy sheriff to perform work similar to a police officer, correction officer, court officer, investigator, lawyer, and auctioneer all in one day. Because of the diversity in tasks a Deputy Sheriff must face, the requirements for deputy sheriff are one of the most stringent in comparison with other law enforcement positions available in the city and state.
In order to be hired, candidates must first pass a civil service entrance examination and meet strong educational requirements.
[edit] Units
[edit] County Field Offices
By law, the sheriff must maintain an office in each of the five counties of New York City. Deputy Sheriffs assigned to these offices perform a variety of tasks such as executing arrest process (such as warrants of arrest), orders to commit, and mental hygiene warrants. Deputies also execute eviction process, service process, and the enforcement, seizure, and sale of property pursuant to judicial mandates. The county offices function like a police precinct, giving citizens of the county a local place to file court process in need of enforcement.
[edit] Patrol Unit
Deputy Sheriffs assigned to this unit perform patrol functions, searching the city streets with court mandates in order to seize vehicles for unpaid parking and moving violations, and issuing summons to vehicles in violation of New York City traffic ordinances and New York State Vehicle and Traffic Laws. This unit provides a law enforcement presence on the city streets, and the public calls upon them to help preserve order. This assistance can include: summoning emergency medical service, preventing and terminating robberies, assaults, and thefts and any other peace keeping function necessary to maintain law and order.
[edit] Warrants Unit
Deputy Sheriffs assigned to this unit serve legal process such as summons and subpoenas for Family Court offenses as well as arresting and jailing individuals pursuant to Family Court warrants of arrest and commitment. In addition, the Warrants Division is sometimes called upon by other units to assist in arrests of a difficult or dangerous nature.
[edit] Mental Health Enforcement Unit (aka Kendra's Unit)
This unit enforces Kendra's Law, named after Kendra Webdale, who was pushed onto the subway tracks by a mentally ill man in 1999. Kendra's Law provides a procedure for the removal of a patient, subject to a court order, to a hospital for evaluation and observation. In cases where the patient fails to comply with the ordered treatment and poses risk of harm, this unit will locate, detain, and transport the patient.
[edit] Auto Theft Unit
This unit works in conjunction with the Sheriffs Patrol Unit identifying stolen cars seized by the Sheriff. This unit also works closely with the various District Attorney Offices' in making arrests and combating automobile theft. In 2006, the New York City Sheriff's Office recovered more stolen automobiles than any other law enforcement agency in New York State. [6]
[edit] Auction Unit
This unit conducts judicial sales of vehicles seized by the Sheriff. Deputies maintain order at large sales where hundreds of bidders may be present, and they safeguard and protect property seized, and proceeds.
[edit] Seizure Unit
Deputy Sheriffs in this unit conduct high profile investigations and property seizures under court order. Businesses and individuals that owe the city money pursuant to unpaid City Tax Warrants, Environmental Control Board summons, and Fire and Health Code violations and fines, are targeted for enforcement action by this unit.
[edit] Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Sheriff’s Offices in the 5 counties of New York City, 7 officers have died in the line of duty. [7]
| Officer | Department | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith | Westchester County Sheriff's Office, NY |
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Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff Henry Wendelstorf | Queens County Sheriff's Department, NY |
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Assault |
| Sheriff Paul Stier | Queens County Sheriff's Department, NY |
|
Gunfire |
| Keeper Morris Broderson | Bronx County Sheriff's Office, NY |
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Gunfire |
| Keeper Daniel D. Horgan | Bronx County Sheriff's Office, NY |
|
Gunfire |
| Deputy Sheriff John T. Miller | Queens County Sheriff's Department, NY |
|
Automobile accident |
| Deputy Sheriff Fred D'Amore | Queens County Sheriff's Department, NY |
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Automobile accident |
[edit] See also
[edit] External Links
Sheriff of New York City - City of New York Department of Finance
[edit] References
- ^ New York City Department of Finance page http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/services/services_enforcement.shtml
- ^ N.Y. Constitution, Article 13, section 13. See [1] (pdf) at p. 41; see also [2] (html).
- ^ McKinley, Jesse. "F.Y.I.", The New York Times, November 27, 1994. Accessed January 21, 2008. "Established in 1626, the Sheriff's office in Manhattan and its equivalents in the other boroughs served as a major part of the patchwork of law-enforcement agencies that existed before the city's consolidation in 1898. After that, the new New York City Police Department took over the responsibility for criminal investigations and arrests. As recently as 1942, the Sheriff was also responsible for manning and administering the city's jails, a duty now carried by the Department of Correction. Today, the sheriff's primary duties are enforcing court-ordered judgments and fines, including unpaid parking tickets and littering fines, and collecting judgments from reluctant losers in private lawsuits, said John George, the Sheriff's executive assistant. "
- ^ Important Dates in Law Enforcement History, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Accessed January 21, 2008.
- ^ NYCHS Timeline page. Accessed January 21, 2008.
- ^ New York State Assembly bill A01525 memo http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A01525&sh=t
- ^ The Officer Down Memorial Page http://www.odmp.org/agency/2759-new-york-city-sheriffs-office-new-york
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