Roughly Half of U.S. Sheriffs Now Believe Their Local Authority Supersedes the Federal Government
Spurred on by a Sheriff’s association promoting an untested legal theory, nearly half of the nation’s elected sheriffs currently believe they have more local jurisdiction than agents of the federal government. The idea is hotly debated in legal circles, but many sheriffs seem to have reached their own conclusions. Provocateurs like Richard Mack, founder and director of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, are actively promoting a strong-county-sheriff point of view, and his organization has had some success in bringing sheriffs on board with this legal positioning.
In a new survey, The Marshall Project found that, while sheriffs hold a key place in ongoing debates in the US for things like policing, immigration and more, a majority also feel they have greater local authority than federal agents, and in some cases should be able to oppose federal officers.
The Marshall Project conducted their survey of America’s Sheriff’s last year. More than 500 of the country’s 3,000-plus sheriffs participated. Surprisingly, 48.6% either agree or strongly agree that “The sheriff’s authority supersedes the federal or state government in my county.” Another 30% felt neutral about the statement.
A pair of articles on the Marshall Project’s web site provide charts and background details for the extensive survey.
- Does Your Sheriff Think He’s More Powerful Than the President?
- We Surveyed U.S. Sheriffs. See Their Views on Power, Race and Immigration
The Marshall Project touts itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to promote a sense of national urgency to address challenges in the U.S. criminal justice system.
