Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the National Sheriffs’ Association?
NSA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising professionalism among those in criminal justice and public safety.
2. When and where was NSA established?
NSA’s roots trace back to October 1888, when a group of sheriffs in Minnesota and surrounding states formed an organization they called the Inter-State Sheriffs’ Association. The Articles of Incorporation for the National Sheriffs’ Association were filed with the Secretary of State of the state of Ohio on September 26, 1940.
3. What does NSA do?
Over the years, NSA has supported numerous programs, training, and resources to help sheriffs, their deputies, and others in criminal justice perform their jobs as effectively as possible and better serve the people in their jurisdictions.
4. How many Sheriffs are there in the U.S.?
There are 3,081 sheriffs nationwide.
5. Are there states that do not have Sheriff’s Offices?
Yes. Three states that do not have county sheriff’s offices:
- Alaska. No county governments.
- Connecticut. Sheriffs have been replaced with a State Marshal System.
- Hawaii. Hawaii has no sheriffs, but Deputy Sheriffs serve in the Sheriffs Division of the Hawaii Department of Public Safety.
6. What is the difference between a Sheriff and a Police Chief?
A Sheriff is generally (but not always) the highest, usually elected, law-enforcement officer of a county. Police chiefs are usually municipal employees who owe their allegiance to a city. Often, mayors appoint chiefs, or a police commission appoints them or subjects them to confirmation.
7. How long is the term of office for a Sheriff?
Sheriffs serve four-year terms in 41 states, two-year terms in three states, a three-year term in one state, and a six-year term in one state.
8. What is the difference between a Sheriff’s Office and a Sheriff’s Department?
Black’s Law Dictionary defines the terms as follows:
DEPARTMENT: “One of the major divisions of the executive branch of the government….generally, a branch or division of governmental administration.”
OFFICE: “A right, and correspondent duty, to exercise public trust as an office. A public charge of employment… the most frequent occasions to use the word arise with reference to a duty and power conferred on an individual by the government, and when this is the connection, public office is a usual and more discriminating expression… in the constitutional sense, the term implies an authority to exercise some portion of the sovereign power either in making, executing, or administering the laws.”
The Office of Sheriff is not simply another “department” of county government. The internal operation of an Office of Sheriff is the sole responsibility of the elected Sheriff. County department heads are subordinate to a county governing body, because a “department” is truly only a division of county government. The Office of Sheriff is a statutory/constitutional office having exclusive powers and authority under state law and/or state constitution. These inherent powers are not subject to the dictates of a local county governing body.
The Office of Sheriff has inherent common-law powers and sovereignty granted under a state constitution and/or state law. It differs from a county department, which derives its limited authority from whatever the statute or state constitution delegates to it.
The term “Department” implies a subordinate unit of government (i.e., subordinate to local government, “delegated” authority from county government to a Department). The term “Office” implies inherent powers and independent sovereignty.
9. How many members does NSA have?
As of October 8, 2026, NSA has approximately 6,500 active members.
Click here for more membership information.
10. Who is the current President of NSA?
Sheriff Troy Wellman, Moody County, South Dakota
11. What does the National Sheriffs’ Association badge signify?
The National Sheriffs’ Association badge has heraldic significance.
- The shield denotes defense, protection, and faith.
- The mace denotes authority.
- The olive wreath denotes peace.
- The circle surrounding the emblem denotes eternity.
- The five points of the star denote friendship, guidance, honesty, integrity, and merit.