The County sheriff

Sheriff

A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....

 (Florida) is a Florida constitutional officer and a part of the state judicial branch.

The Sheriff has a duty to enforce both the Florida Constitution

Constitution

A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...

 and Florida state laws and statutes

Florida law

The Florida law is based on the Florida Constitution , which defines how the statutes must be passed into law, and defines the limits of authority and basic law that the Florida Statutes must be complied with...

, and to provide for the security, safety and well being of its citizens. This is accomplished through the delivery of law enforcement services, the operation of the County Jail, and the provision of court security. The Office of the Sheriff functions as the Executive Officer of the court.

Under Florida law

Law

Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...

, The Sheriff

Sheriff

A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....

 derives his legal authority from the Constitution of the State of Florida

Florida Constitution

The Constitution of the State of Florida is the document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Florida, and establishes the basic law of the state....

. The Sheriff is vested with the ability to appoint and direct deputies who will act in his name and office to enforce the appropriate and applicable laws of the State

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Florida. Those deputies of the County Sheriff's Office who are Certified Law Enforcement officers must maintain a thorough working knowledge of the laws they enforce and the underlying principals from which they emanate.

Duties

The duties, as enumerated in Chapter 30 of the Florida Statutes, include:

• Executing all process of the Supreme Court, circuit court
  First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
  The First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida is a Circuit Court comprising Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton Counties in the Florida Panhandle.-External links:*...
  
  , county court, and board of county commissioners, to be executed in its county.
• Executing such other writs, processes, warrants, and other papers directed to it, as may come to its hands to be executed in its county.
• Attending all terms of the circuit court and county court held in its county.
• Executing all orders of the board of county commissioners of its county, for which services it shall receive such compensation, out of the county treasury, as said boards may deem proper.
• Being conservator of the peace in its county.
• Suppressing tumults, riots, and unlawful assemblies in its county with force and strong hand when necessary.
• Apprehending, without warrant, any person disturbing the peace, and carrying that person before the proper judicial officer, that further proceedings may be had against him or her according to law.
• Having authority to raise the power of the county and command any person to assist it, when necessary, in the execution of the duties of its office.
• Being, ex officio, timber agents for its county.
• Performing such other duties as may be imposed upon it by law.