Mission Statement
About SAT
Constitution and Bylaws
History of Office of Sheriff
Officers and Board
Staff
Directory of Texas Sheriffs

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ABOUT SAT

HISTORY OF OFFICE OF SHERIFF

The Office of Sheriff in Texas was created by the Texas Constitution. There are 254 Counties in Texas and each county has a Sheriff. By statutes, the Sheriff is a Texas peace officer, a conservator of the peace, enforces the criminal laws of the State, and is responsible for the county jail, bail bonds, civil process, and security of the courts. In some small counties the Sheriff is also the tax collector.

The Office of Sheriff is one of the oldest offices known to our system of jurisprudence. Sheriffs are elected to office and serve for a four-year term. The size of Texas Sheriff's offices are as diverse as the population of their counties.