The Sheriff's Department is responsible for enforcing all federal, state, and county laws enacted for the protection of the lives, property, health, and welfare of the county citizens. The Sheriff is elected at-large by the voters for four year terms.

The Sheriff's Department provides security for all courts, processes court orders, patrols county neighborhoods, and maintains the CHAMPS Program.

The Sheriff's Department also operates the county's jail. The facility is primarily a holding place for persons charged with a criminal offense waiting for a court appearance and for persons already sentenced but waiting for a transfer to a state or federal facility. The jail also holds persons found guilty of certain misdemeanors and sentenced to one year or less.