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View Full Version : There Are No Sheriffs In Connecticut



allodial
04-07-15, 01:44 PM
Sheriffs existed in Connecticut prior to the adoption of its first constitution in 1818.[4] Following several corruption scandals involving sheriffs,[5] Article IV, Section 25 of the 1965 Constitution of the State of Connecticut, which specified the election of county sheriffs, was repealed in 2000.[6] The sheriffs were replaced with the State Marshal System[7] and Judicial Marshals.[8]

The sheriffs in Connecticut had several powers and duties under Connecticut statutes: deputy sheriffs received and executed process, and special deputy sheriffs handled transportation of prisoners and courthouse security.[9] With the abolition of sheriffs, the special deputies and their direct judicial functions were absorbed into the Judicial Branch as Judicial Marshals,[10] and the deputy sheriffs with their civil functions
became the State Marshals.[11]


Connecticut simply grew weary of its county sheriffs and changed the state constitution, eliminating the office entirely. In its place they established a state marshal system, which basically serves the same function, but without a sheriff at the top of the chain. Now, instead of having an elected official in charge (county government has no control over an elected official) the department is run by the State Marshal Commission. The commission also hires and fires all marshals.

Isn't it interesting that while the world looked at the reports from Newtown and Sandy Hook, Connecticut with the presumption that a lawful system of coroners and sheriffs were in place and the news media made no point to mention that there are no sheriffs in Connecticut anymore.

There aren't sheriffs in Alaska either. It might be worth nothing that land rights are almost non-existent or highly questionable in Alaska and that Alaska state formation might be highly questionable. Hawaii has deputy sheriffs.

As for the allegations of getting rid of sheriffs for keeping CT rid of corruption:


How much does a state marshal earn? Well, according to one news report (HartfordInfo.com), John T. Fiorillo, a state marshal, earned more than ten times the salary of the state’s governor. In fact, Fiorillo raked in over two-million dollars serving foreclosure papers (for private firms) to people losing their homes during the economic downturn.

Related:

Connecticut State Marshal (wikipedia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_State_Marshal)
The Sheriff: A Necessary Office (http://www.libertygunrights.com/SheriffsANecessaryOffice.html)
Wickersham Commission (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wickersham_Commission)