Sheriffs vs. Science

I noticed some time ago that cities of Sonoma County do not elect their chiefs of police. They are hired. A chief has power. He or she can arrest the mayor. The chief runs a small armed force, often with military discipline. But if that power goes to the chief's head, the city council can fire her. 

I think it's safer if the ultimate power belongs to a large elected group rather than to one armed authoritarian. 

Nevertheless, the sheriff of Sonoma County is elected,  not hired, making him partly independent from the board of supervisors. There are consequences. 

In the newspaper I read that our current sheriff handled the start of the pandemic by announcing he would not enforce some of the edicts issued by the scientists in our county health department. He said that he found the scientists unconvincing. The board of supervisors and most intelligent people reacted negatively to the sheriff's nonsense, and after a few days he buckled, but as an elected official in his own right, he didn't have to.

Around California a number of elected white-winged sheriffs have decided they will enforce only the science edicts they personally like. Now the coronavirus is surging. 

Sheriffs could be appointed, hired and fired. Or maybe Sonoma County should contract the work out to more accountable city police departments.