Brief History of the Sheriff's Office

• The office of sheriff can be traced to Biblical times.
• Among English speaking peoples, only the office of king is older.
• English sheriffs trace the roots of their office to the Saxons in the 9th century.
• The powers and duties of the office remain, for the most part, unchanged.
• The office of sheriff is constitutionally mandated in NC.
• It is an elected law enforcement office.
• The sheriff has duties in all three branches of law enforcement:  Policing, Courts/Criminal Justice and Corrections/Jail.
• In North Carolina, the sheriff is elected to a 4-year term.
• A county sheriff is responsible not to county authorities but to the citizens of the county.
• County governments are responsible for providing funding to the Sheriff's Office.

Key Dates in History of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

• 1738 - The Colonial Assembly created the office of Territorial Sheriff.
• 1763 - Anson County was divided to create Mecklenburg County.
• 1768 - Charlotte was founded as the County Seat.
• 1770 - Records show Mecklenburg County had a Sheriff.
• 1773 - Thomas Harris, the last colonial sheriff, was appointed by the Royal Government.
• 1776 - State of North Carolina declared its independence from Great Britain.
• 1776 - Thomas Harris appointed first sheriff.
• 1806 - State Law created the North Carolina Superior Court.
• 1829 - Statutes amended to provide for election of sheriff by popular vote.
• 1865 - Town of Charlotte Police Department established, leaving Sheriff to serve as chief law enforcement office of rural areas of county.
• 1917 - Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, under special legislative authority, organize Mecklenburg Rural Police under Sheriff's direction.
• 1925 - Rural Police placed under the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners.