Sheriff John Burkhart in uniform.
A sheriff is most often an elected county official who serves as the chief civilian law enforcement officer of their jurisdiction. The sheriff enforces court orders and mandates and may perform duties such as evictions, seizing property and assets pursuant to court orders, and serving warrants and legal papers.
In some counties where urban areas have their own police departments, a sheriff may be restricted to civil procedure enforcement duties. In other counties, the sheriff may serve as the principal police force and have jurisdiction over all of the county's municipalities, including those that maintain their own municipal police departments. A sheriff often administers the county jails and is responsible for court security functions within their jurisdiction.