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Good Question: Why Does SF Have A Police Chief And Sheriff?

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) –- It's one of many ways the City by the Bay is unique. Wendy Wang asked this Good Question: Why does San Francisco have both a police chief and a sheriff?

ANSWER: San Francisco Sheriff Mike Hennessey said the California State Constitution requires that every county in the state have an elected sheriff. Since San Francisco is both a city and county it has a sheriff's department and police department. Each agency has different duties, with SFPD handling patrol work and the Sheriff's Department running the jails, providing court security and enforcing civil judgment.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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