The office of sheriff was first established in the Northwest Territory in 1788, and renewed in the Indiana and Illinois Territories. Sheriffs were appointed for indefinite terms by territorial governors.¹ With statehood, the Constitution of 1818 made the sheriff’s office elective, with a two year term.²

The sheriff’s term has been changed by different state constitutions. At present, sheriffs are elected for four-year terms and may be re-elected.³ From 1827 to the present, sheriffs have been empowered to hire deputies. From 1827 to 1874, they had to file a list of deputies with the circuit clerk.⁴ From 1874 to the present, copies of deputy sheriffs’ oaths have been filed with the county clerk.⁵

Sheriffs are the peace officers of the county. Since 1819, they have been required to summon a posse comitatus to keep order when necessary; to serve and execute all court orders addressed to them; to suppress breaches of the peace and arrest offenders on view; to serve as an officer of all courts of record in the county, to attend these courts in person or by deputy; and to summon grand juries.⁶ In 1821, they were required to sell property in execution of court orders for payment of debts; in 1827 they were required to pursue all felons within their jurisdiction, and to summon petit juries.⁷ In 1951, sheriffs became county supervisors of safety, with the authority to enforce highway laws in unincorporated areas.⁸ Since 1819, sheriffs have been custodians and wardens of the county jails.⁹ In 1923, they were required to keep records of all prisoners.¹⁰

Sheriffs acted as tax collectors in all counties, from 1819 to 1839, and from 1843 to 1849.¹¹ In 1849, townships began electing their own collectors, however, sheriffs remained the tax collectors in non-township counties until 1971.¹²