HISTORY OF THE MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

The evolvement of the sheriff's profession began back in the midst of time. From the very beginning, there has been a constant development of policing. It began when primitive people banded together for mutual benefit and security. Then only rudimentary rules of conduct were enforced. As communities were established, certain customs, regulations and rules were developed to preserve life and safeguard property. Later, states or provinces were formed of hamlets and towns. These developed into territories and later into nations. Each had its laws, customs and traditions. The first separate law enforcement agency was under Augustus of Rome before the birth of Christ. It was short lived, but was revived during the rule of Charlemagne in France in 756 A.D.

The Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. saw the origin of the office of sheriff. England was divided into territorial shires, usually identical with a county, originally under an earl and later under the sheriff; officer of the king. A reeve in Old England was an administrative official who was, in part, a steward, bailiff, or overseer. The reeve of a shire, then, meant the chief executive officer of the county, charged with execution of the laws and preservation of the peace. The title eventually became known as shire-reeve and then was contracted into one word "Sheriff".

The sheriff's duties included the execution of all processes from the courts of the shires or counties, effecting their judgements within his jurisdiction, to take charge of prisoners pending trial, carry out court sentences, take charge of the county jail, be the chief conservator of the public peace, to apprehend and confine to prison all persons who break the peace or attempt to exercise the posse comitatus (power of the county), if necessary, in the execution of these or any other of his duties.

The office of the sheriff was carried over from the English system into the United States laws when our government was organized following the revolution and the position was made an elective one instead of appointive. Although a United States county sheriff is not now appointed by a king and is no longer charged with ministerial duties, he still represents the people who have elected him as their steward, bailiff and overseer and just as his counterpart in the middle ages, to put down breaches of the peace and serve the common interest.

In the early history of Mendocino County, the sheriff's office was a one-man operation.  He was responsible for 3,509 square miles spreading approximately 100 miles from north to south in length and 35 miles east to west in width. This territory comprises the fifteenth largest county in the state. Vast changes have occurred in Mendocino County since its inception; the population having increased from the native American Indians and a few hundred settlers in 1870 to approximately 70,000 today.

The one-man sheriff's office of yesteryear has been supplemented and today Sheriff Anthony J. Craver commands a department which includes a staff of over 100 personnel to handle the many responsibilities assigned to the sheriff's office.

SHERIFFS - Past and Present

DATES SERVED NAME OF SHERIFF LENGTH OF TERM

1858-1862	J. B. Price	Four Years
1862-1864	W. Tainter	Two Years
1864-1868	L. M. Warden	Four Years
1868-1872	David C. Crockett	Four Years
1872-1876	S. J. Chalfant	Four Years
1876-1880	J. R. Moore	Four Years
1880-1882	J. H. Donohoe	Two Years
1882-1886	J. M. Standley	Four Years
1886-1888	D. H. Osborne	Two Years
1888-1892	J. M. Standley	Four Years
1892-1898	J. R. Johnson	Six Years
1898-1906	J. H. Smith	Four Years
1906-1910	R. E. Donohoe	Four Years
1910-1930	Ralph R. Byrnes	Twenty Years
1930-1942	E. L. Williams	Twelve Years
1942-1954	Beverley Broaddus	Twelve Years
1954-1975	Reno H. Bartolomie	Twenty Years
1975-1983	Thomas W. Jondahl	Eight Years
1983-1991	Tim Shea	Eight Years
1991-1999	James Tuso	Eight Years
1999-	Anthony J. Craver

RESPONSIBILITY

The duties of the sheriff are well defined in various sections of the Government and Penal Codes. The Government Code provides the sheriff shall preserve the peace, prevent and suppress affrays, arrest violators and investigate public offenses. In addition, the sheriff shall attend all sessions of the county superior courts. To carry out these duties, the sheriff may command the assistance of citizens when necessary. It also provides the sheriff with the privilege of appointing deputies to assist him in his duties and he may appoint as many deputies as necessary for a prompt and faithful discharge of those duties.

The Government Code also requires the sheriff to maintain a county jail and furnish proper custodial care for all prisoners incarcerated in the jail. It shall be the duty of the sheriff to serve all processes of the court.

The California Penal Code further defines these duties. It also regulates selection procedures and training of those persons who shall be considered to be peace officers, including the sheriff and deputy sheriffs.