Time To Reform The Sheriffs’ System

To the Editor:

The General Assembly took the first step toward reforming Connecticut’s sheriffs’ system during the 2000 legislative session. Now it is up to the voters to decide whether the current system should remain in place or be reformed.

By overwhelming margins, the General Assembly adopted the proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate the county sheriff system that will appear on the November 7 election ballot. Since the office of High Sheriff is established under the State Constitution, it can only be eliminated if voters approve a constitutional amendment in a statewide election.

Nothing will change unless voters approve this ballot question. That is because of a provision in the wording of a new law we passed that would implement critical reforms to the sheriffs’ system. The provision stipulates that the reforms cannot take effect unless voters approve the constitutional amendment.

The reforms directly address the problems and weaknesses of the county sheriffs’ system that have been identified over the years and they are badly needed. The system is the last vestige of county government in Connecticut and, many argue, the last bastion of pure political patronage left in the state – because the elected high sheriffs have the sole responsibility for appointing all deputies. The eight counties were established in colonial days and are no longer a logical fit for a court system composed of 13 judicial districts and about 50 courthouses.

Currently, the sheriffs’ system consists of eight High Sheriffs, one for each county. There also are about 1,000 special deputy sheriffs who provide courtroom security and transport prisoners to and from the courts, and 245 deputy sheriffs who deliver legal papers, serve eviction notices, and the like.

There are minimum criteria for those who serve as deputy and special deputy sheriffs. Although more training for them is required now, it still falls short of that required for police officers and corrections officers, whose responsibilities are similar to those of the special deputies.

The General Assembly’s Program Review and Investigations Committee, which I co-chair, conducted a thorough, objective study of the sheriffs’ system and concluded that the duties now handled by the sheriffs could be more efficiently and effectively carried out by another state agency and with a different administrative structure.

If Connecticut voters approve the ballot question, the legislation we enacted earlier this year will, on December 1, 2000, transfer responsibility for transporting prisoners to courthouses, custody of prisoners at courthouses, and courthouse security from the county sheriffs to the Judicial Department. State marshals would take over the responsibility for serving legal papers.

All special deputy sheriffs who were handling prisoner custody or transportation or court security on April 27, 2000, would be employed by the Judicial Department as judicial marshals. Qualified deputy sheriffs who were serving as of June 30, 2000, would become state marshals. Under the act, they would continue as independent contractors who are paid on a fee for service basis.

Other reforms that take effect if voters approve the constitutional amendment would:

* Require the complete separation of male and female prisoners during transportation between courthouses and correctional facilities.

* Allow the Chief Court Administrator to establish employment standards and appropriate training programs to assure prisoner transportation and court security.

* Require applicants for judicial marshal positions to submit to criminal background investigations conducted by the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

All of these reforms closely mirror the bipartisan recommendations made by the Program Review and Investigations Committee. They will bring a troubled, outmoded agency into the 21st century and make it more effective and professional.

Those who are opposed to reform of the sheriffs’ system will not forget to vote against it.

The status quo no longer works. It needs to be changed to better serve the people of Connecticut. That’s why all of us who support reform must be just as determined not to forget to vote “yes” November 7.

Sincerely,

State Rep. Julia Wasserman

Walnut Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook                      October 14, 2000