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Law enforcement titles vary from state to state, but there are some general differences between police chiefs and sheriffs. Police chiefs tend to work in larger metropolitan areas and are usually appointed by the city's mayor. Sheriffs, on the other hand, are responsible for counties and often have larger, more rural areas to patrol. Many times they have a kind of default jurisdiction over unincorporated areas or small towns. Sheriffs are usually elected rather than appointed. According to this informative article from a criminal justice course, the American police system was lifted wholesale from the British. By 1845, most major cities in the
United States had a police chief. The office of sheriff is also of British origin. Sheriffs tend to have more autonomy since they're elected, but their departments often lack jurisdiction over cities and towns. In many areas of the country, like Los Angeles for example, there are both blue and brown shirts protecting the peace.
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