SUSSEX CO., Del. - Tuesday, WMDT told you how a Delaware judge ruled that the state constitution does not give police powers to county sheriffs. Wednesday, WMDT spoke with the sheriff at the center of the case.
"If the sheriff's role is not understood, I want to define it, and I went to the court and said what is a conservator of the peace, and they simply did not define it. They just said it was not a peace officer and I already knew that position of the state."
Sheriff Jeff Christopher, a former Maryland sheriff acknowledges he knew the role wasn't a law enforcement position when he took the job, but Sheriff Christopher is adamant about changing the role, and he isn't the first Sussex County sheriff to fight for police powers; though he says his reason is different from past office holders.
"Sheriff Reed took the approach to be the county police and that is exactly NOT what I want to do. I don't believe there's a need for the county police to exist," says Sheriff Christopher.
His next step will be to appeal his case to the Delaware Supreme Court.
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