The Ohio Sheriff

The Sheriffs of America have played a significant role in the history of our nation, and the Sheriffs of Ohio are no exception to this heritage. A brief study of Ohio’s history reveals that Ohio Sheriffs have contributed greatly to the development of the Buckeye State.


Until Ohio achieved statehood in 1803, the position of Sheriff was filled through appointments made at the pleasure of the Colonial Governor. The first Sheriff on record in Ohio was Colonel Ebenezer Sproat. At the time of his appointment in 1788, Colonel Sproat’s jurisdiction covered all of Washington County. This enormous area included all of eastern Ohio, stretching from the Ohio River to Lake Erie.


After statehood became a reality, only three public offices in Ohio were filled through the electoral process. The position of Sheriff was one of them. Through this new system, William Skinner became the first elected Sheriff in the Buckeye State. Since the early 1800s, Ohio Sheriffs have been elected at the county level by the people they serve. By virtue of this process, the Office of Sheriff has become the oldest law enforcement position in the United States. It is also the only remaining law enforcement office filled through an election process. The term of office for County Sheriffs in Ohio is four years.


In each of Ohio’s 88 counties, the Sheriff serves as the chief law enforcement officer. The Sheriff’s primary duties include providing Common Pleas Court services and corrections on a countywide basis, as well as full police protection to unincorporated areas of the county. The Sheriff also maintains full police jurisdiction in all municipalities, townships, and villages. In an effort to maintain consistency statewide, Ohio Sheriffs and Deputies wear standardized uniforms, and all patrol vehicles are similarly marked.


Within Ohio, Sheriff’s Offices have one of the most extensive sets of responsibilities to the citizens they serve. By statute, Sheriffs are required to provide:

  • Line law enforcement
  • Court security and service of papers
  • Jail operations
  • Extradition processes
  • Transportation of prisoners