1. sheriffs sometimes stand up for our rights against “infringements’ from the feds or states
2. sheriffs provide the basic policing services in the vast unincorporated areas of most counties...(plus, by contract, the same for some incorporated cities and towns)
3. sheriffs (at least in Californication) provide the policing, guard services for the county jails
4. sheriffs (in CA) provide the guard services in the county court houses
5. sheriffs (in CA) provide certain specialized services like evictions of non-paying or destructive tenants
6. sheriffs provide judgement-collection assistance for successful plaintiffs in recovering monies due them
etc.
If someone wants to get rid of county sheriffs, s/he should explain alternative means of providing the above services?
Something else CA sheriffs do is approve/disapprove concealed-carry permits. Sheriffs in less enlightened rural counties actually approve most conceal carry applications. Sheriffs in more progressive counties approve only permits for connected politicians (like Dianne Feinstein) or Hollywood celebrities. This is why the office of sheriff has to go.
That and the fact that some actually want to follow Federal law over immigration rather than state law—”treason against the state of California” indeed.