Do Pro-Gun Republican Sheriffs....

[Texasgrillchef]

I get the feeling that Pro-Gun Republican Sheriffs never win elections up there?

 

[fencer]

Sheriff Joseph D. Mcdonald Jr.

www.pcsdma.org

Joe is pro 2A. But in Massachusetts it's all about your local Chief of Police, and a few of those are tyrants.

 

[drgrant]

I get the feeling that Pro-Gun Republican Sheriffs never win elections up there?

Sheriffs in MA have little or no real power in the real scheme of things in MA. They run the lower tier of jails (called a house of corrections vs the higher tier, which is state prisons) and some methadone clinics, shit like that.

It's not like down south where they are considered a big deal, real law enforcement authority. Power was taken away from the sheriffs a long time ago in mass.

 

[Garys]

Point of order. A jail is a jail, and a House of Corrections is a House of Corrections. In theory, people waiting for trial are kept in the jail, while those serving misdemeanor sentences are kept at a HOC.

Every county has both a jail and HOC.

The Sheriff's departments are also responsible for transporting prisoners around to various courts from the jails and Houses of Correction.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

Sheriffs in MA have little or no real power in the real scheme of things in MA. They run the lower tier of jails (called a house of corrections vs the higher tier, which is state prisons) and some methadone clinics, shit like that.

It's not like down south where they are considered a big deal, real law enforcement authority. Power was taken away from the sheriffs a long time ago in mass.

Ooops! Well i guess the police chiefs then that get to decide if you get a permit to carry or not.

Or are they not elected?

 

[Garys]

Police chiefs are not elected, they are hired on a city or town basis. They answer to the Mayor, Town Manager, or Board of Selectman depending on the type of government they have.
The chiefs have almost unfettered discretion on whether or not they want to issue a license to carry.

Sheriffs are elected.

Ooops! Well i guess the police chiefs then that get to decide if you get a permit to carry or not.

Or are they not elected?

 

[drgrant]

Ooops! Well i guess the police chiefs then that get to decide if you get a permit to carry or not.

Or are they not elected?

They (sheriffs) are elected but they are not an issuing authority in MA. Police chiefs are not elected officials but appointed by mayors or town government.

 

[headednorth]

Licensing officer does what the Chief of Police says.
Chief does what the Mayor/Town Manager/Board of selectmen/Aldermen say.
M/TM/BoS/A for the most part do what the voters/squeaky wheels in town say.

So if youre applying in a town where a large enough percentage of citizens are anti2A, youre not going to have a good time.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

Police chiefs are not elected, they are hired on a city or town basis. They answer to the Mayor, Town Manager, or Board of Selectman depending on the type of government they have.
The chiefs have almost unfettered discretion on whether or not they want to issue a license to carry.

Sheriffs are elected.

That explains why sheriffs have no power there and Chiefs have all the power. Here its the other way around. While chiefs are still apointed by the mayor and approved by city council, they have limited powers vs the Sheriff who is elected having quite a bit of power. Sherrif doesnt do what we like. He is out! Quick and simple. Its one of the reasons they have the power to even tell state goverment what laws they will enforce and which ones they wont. Thus giving some level of local power when it comes to 2nd ammendment santuary counties.

Even here is extremely hard to oust a chief of police even when a new mayor takes office. Sad but true.

Hopefully one of two things will happen soon that would change things in Ma. National Reciprocity passes.... OR young V hawaii makes it SCOTUS and they find in Youngs favor. Until then.... Guess Mass will fail to obtain mine and many others tourist dollars. I dont know what percentage of "income" Ma relies on Tourist dollars, But some towns in Texas tourist dollars are their only income.

 

[Garys]

County government in general is non existent here. OTOH, there are no unincorporated areas in MA. There are 351 cities and towns in the state, most have police departments.

It's much different than what you are used to in Texas or most of the south for that matter. As you know, in Texas the SO is the law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas, which gives them significant areas of jurisdiction.

Well, that's in counties where the constables don't perform patrol. That gets confusing to people who don't live in the state.

I can't even begin to understand how the courts work. A former friend of mine once tried to explain it to me and then admitted that a lot of lawyers (he's one) get confused.

That aside, I love my time down in Texas.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Point of order. A jail is a jail, and a House of Corrections is a House of Corrections. In theory, people waiting for trial are kept in the jail, while those serving misdemeanor sentences are kept at a HOC.

Towns in upstate NY have a choice - for their own PD or pay a fee to the county sheriff's department for control and supervision of the subjects.

And, a bit off topic - but the DOC should be renamed the DOP and COs to POs. Department of Punishment and Punishment Officers would be much more accurately descriptive, as these institutions do not "correct" and the length of sentence is based on punishment, not the time to effect a "correction" on the inmate.

 

[Garys]

It's similar down south. The town my son just moved to uses the county sheriff for law enforcement. They could have their own, but it's less expensive to contract with the sheriff. A good number of cities in LA County do the same thing.

Sounds to Cardassian to call it the Department of Punishment.

A slight correction to my earlier post. Up until about 1993, the City of Boston used to run the Suffolk County HOC. When the MWRA took over Deer Island and the HOC was moved to South Bay, that was transferred to the Sheriff.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

County government in general is non existent here. OTOH, there are no unincorporated areas in MA. There are 351 cities and towns in the state, most have police departments.

It's much different than what you are used to in Texas or most of the south for that matter. As you know, in Texas the SO is the law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas, which gives them significant areas of jurisdiction.

Well, that's in counties where the constables don't perform patrol. That gets confusing to people who don't live in the state.

I can't even begin to understand how the courts work. A former friend of mine once tried to explain it to me and then admitted that a lot of lawyers (he's one) get confused.

That aside, I love my time down in Texas.

Constables dont do patrols. They are mainly serving court papers, handling county non dangerous non felony warrants. etc.

But it Texas we have the city police, constables, sheriffs, texas highway patrol and the texas rangers. Each have their own specified area of jurisdiction. But all have the capaibility to arrest.

In Texas though too. License to carry is done on a state level, by the department of public safety. We have premption laws and dont allow our cities or counties tonpass gun laws other then zoning and discharge of a firearm other than for self defense reasons. Thus we take it out of the hands of the possibility of "politics" and who knows who, and who is bribing who. Sadly though our state ag got caught taking bribes.

I do feel for everyone in Ma, NY, NJ, Ri, etc.... hopefully SCOTUS or the reciprocity act will change all of that.

I bet if The national reciprocity act passes 5$3 cheif to keep sime control will start issuing more permits. Since ma will then be forced to recognize other permits. I bet the people he denies will just go grab a NH or Maine or AZ permit and this be legal to carry.

Wr cna only hope though