The Origin of The Sheriff
The origin of the Sheriff is traceable to the Office of the Sheriff and Constable of early English history. On Long Island, from 1664 to 1683, ridings were used to establish boundaries within the Shire. The East riding comprised the territory now occupied by Suffolk County, New York. The West riding consisted of Kings County and Newtown (Queens County, New York). The remainder of Long Island belonged to the North riding. Collectively, the three ridings were called York shire.
The Governor appointed a “High Sheriff” for York Shire with a Deputy Sheriff from each riding. In 1683, the ridings were abolished and the West riding became Nassau County. The High Sheriff was no longer necessary being that each County would now have its own Sheriff.
After the American Revolution, the practice of the Governor appointing a Sheriff continued and was incorporated into the first Constitution adopted in New York in 1777. At the Constitutional Convention in 1821, the appointed Office of the Sheriff was made elective.
Read more about this topic: Nassau County Sheriff's Department (New York)
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