The Choosing of Local Officials in Representative Democratic Mode (Law Enforcement):County Sheriff/City Chief Of Police-By Harsha Sankar

 

The Choosing of Local Officials in Representative Democratic Mode (Law Enforcement):County Sheriff/City Chief Of Police-By Harsha Sankar

Dear Citizen,                                  October 2020

Of the officeholders of the locality's executive branch which should not be chosen by direct vote of the electorate or by local government,the County Sheriff/City Chief Of Police is that officeholder whose office is to primarily investigate and enforce state and local laws affecting private citizens. That office can provide back up and secondary support to both state police and federal investigations.

A candidate for County Sheriff/City Chief Of Police should not be a participant in any branch of government for at least one year prior to his/her election. That candidate should also neither belong to any organization that is either not publicly announced nor its contents of its meetings sealed in secrecy for at least two years prior to the election. Finally, that candidate should not belong to any group comprised solely of any government branch participants.

The elected lawmaking body of local government should accept all the applicants eligible for this position, limit the number of candidates for this position to three, and then submit these choices of candidates to the Governor. The Governor, out of the three nominations,selects the final prospect and submits his/her final choice to the lower house of the state legislature. That lower house ratifies the governor's choice with a Yes or No simple majority vote.

The reason why the lower state legislative house provided ratification is their members are closer to the citizenry than the members of the upper house. Since the position of County Sheriff/City Chief Of Police is a local position that requires direct and active interaction with all local activities and with the citizenry, the lower house's approval is solely needed to declare who will serve as "Top Cop" in each municipality across the entire state.

If the lower house fails to ratify a candidate, with a quorum of two-thirds, then the Governor can compel the local (municipal) lawmaking body to provide an extra set of applicants numbering three to his/her office for review. That State Governor can again resubmit his/her choice to the lower house of the state legislature for ratification.

If for the second time this legislative house refuses ratification, then the governor's choice is submitted to the upper state legislative house for ratification. If the upper house, usually referred as the State Senate, refuses ratification, then the locality is mandated to hold a direct public ballot election with its electorate.

The County Sheriff/City Chief Of Police should be an 8 year term with a reconfirmation at the end of the first four years of service by the lower house of the state legislature.

If a member of the lower house refuses to cast a vote for reconfirmation, that member must provide a minimum of a 100 word written explanation that document his reasoning behind it.

If the lower house, through simple majority vote, refuses reconfirmation of a current serving official in this position, then the entire process of selection must start again.