Should Felons be Allowed to be Sheriff?

given the evidence of corruption in law enforcement i don't see a huge problem myself, wouldn't it be the ultimate form of redemption

sort of like the old tv show It Takes A Thief

Having someone on the inside that knows what they are looking for from personal experience might be a plus.

There are felons that are felons from pretty minor crimes, specifically being found with small amounts of drugs. It may have been when they were young and dumb.

Then again, a felon in NC can't get food stamps, medicaid or other state assistance. Why would they be allowed to be sheriff?

Redemption, or fox in the hen house?

see i don't buy the idea that a felon shouldn't be allowed to get government assistance, you are convicted, you do your time, you've paid your debt, you should be just like any other citizen after that

i think the restrictions imposed on felons after their time is served is a major cause of recidivism

really?

Kind of like putting the rapist in charge of the women's shelter.

true, but the news is full of dirty cops who got there with out being in jail first, you really never know what a person might do, doesn't mean they can't get a chance

Yes. I know someone for whom that is the case. She was paid $30 to deliver a "package" by someone that ended up being an undercover cop. She has served her time. She cannot get government assistance 5 years later.

I'm thinking it would depend on the felony, but we don't have enough due diligence by voters, nor do we get campaign coverage of sheriff races for people to know what felony might have been committed by one or both candidates. We might end up with a sheriff that had an ounce too much of pot, or we may end up with someone that committed a much more serious crime.

is sheriff an elected position?
do you have to have any law enforcement background to get the job?

in Ontario (and i believe the rest of Canada), you have to be a police officer and rise through the ranks to become Chief of Police in a detachment

so I take it the best way for a felon to get food/shelter/medical care would be to commit another felony, and go to back to prison.

In the United States, a sheriff is always the highest law enforcement officer of a county and commander of militia in that county. A distinct part of law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected. The political election of a person to serve as a police leader is an almost uniquely American tradition.

I found the actual proposed wording of the amendment:

""Sec. 2. Sheriffs.
In each county a Sheriff shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected and shall hold his office for a period of four years, subject to removal for cause as provided by law. No person is eligible to serve as Sheriff if that person has been convicted of a felony against this State, the United States, or another state, whether or not that person has been restored to the rights of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law. Convicted of a felony includes the entry of a plea of guilty; a verdict or finding of guilt by a jury, judge, magistrate, or other adjudicating body, tribunal, or official, either civilian or military; or a plea of no contest, nolo contendere, or the equivalent."

Seems a bit broad for my liking. Different states have different definitions of what is a felony, and including a felony from any state would possibly preclude a candidate that was doing something as innocuous as being arrested for protesting.

Yes. That seems to be the fairly common result of this rule unless they have family willing to take them in. Well, family that doesn't live in government housing. That wouldn't be allowed.

In the United States of America the role of a sheriff varies between different states and counties. The sheriff is a county official, the arm of the county court. In urban areas they may be restricted to these court duties, such as administering the county jail, courtroom security, prisoner transport, serving warrants, service of process or police administration. Sheriffs may also patrol outside of city/town limits or jurisdiction. In many rural areas, sheriffs and their deputies are the principal form of police.

The other thing I find odd is that the sheriff candidates have their party affiliation next to their names on the ballot. I wouldn't think law enforcement, especially at county level, would need to have political ideologies.

well you wouldn't want to vote for a democrat would you, a liberal sheriff would probably just give everybody a stern talking too

Thanks for the clarification.

Meanwhile, our judges do NOT have party affiliation noted on the ballot or in any campaign materials. Seems backwards.

Would a sheriff be expect to carry a firearm? It's pretty rare for a felon to be permitted to own or handle firearms. Not actually impossible, but rare. Also, I wonder if a person with a felony conviction could be hired, as opposed to being elected, to a law enforcement position.