Weird Police Facts

London's Bobbies are named after Sir Robert Peel.

There are over 3,000 Sheriff's Offices in the United States.

The difference between a misdemeanor or a felony crime is simply the length of time you might serve in jail or prison if convicted. Misdemeanors carry sentences less than a year, felonies, more than a year.

The term Cops comes from the copper buttons that were used on most turn of the century police uniforms.

The first women police officers were appointed in 1883 by the London Metropolitan Police.

Entry wage for a new deputy sheriff in Island County, WA is $3200/month.

Statistically, when shots are exchanged between a police officer and a suspect, fewer than 10% of the rounds hit either of the individuals.

In 1999, there were fewer murders per capita in the United States than in the past 30 years!

The State of Washington, Mike Hawley's home State, has 39 Counties and therefore 39 Sheriff's Offices.

Wyatt Earp, when asked about his quick draw, replied that in a gun fight, a slow careful aim was far more important than speed.

Louisiana currently has the most people incarcerated per capita, of any State.

England's Scotland Yard is named after the garden behind Sir Robert Peel's original home and office. This is where he organized the first professional police force in London in 1829. Legend had it that a banished Scottish King, had once resided on what were now Peel's grounds.

The word SHERIFF is derived from two English words circa 1000 AD: 1) Shire, a political subdivision equivalent to American counties. 2) Reeves, a term denoting a trusted noble who assigned by the King to a particular Shire to be his representative in legal matters both criminal and civil. Hence the word; Shire-Reeves or Sheriffs

Bullet Proof Vests are not bullet proof, they're bullet resistant. Most rifle rounds will easily pass through.

In 1844, the city of New York established the first modern, round the clock, paid police force in the U.S.

The Island County Sheriff's Office has been in continuous operation since 1853.

Island County Sheriff's Office relies upon a paid force of 38 sworn, or Commissioned peace officers (including Sheriff Mike Hawley); 20 Corrections Deputies; and 9 civilians (clerical and administrative staff, and food service workers in the Sheriff's County Jail) and 150 volunteers. Our County's population is 75,000.

In the U.S., 1999 saw the lowest number of Police Line-of-Duty Deaths in 35 years; 42 law enforcement officers lost their lives due to criminal action; 63 officers died accidentally. Most were killed by handguns, 5 officers by their own duty weapon.

American Sheriffs are elected because the original colonists from England detested the power of the King's appointed Sheriffs. They decided that the power of the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in their new county should be controlled by the people.

The word POLICE is derived from the Greek word Polis or city.

Most American Sheriff's are elected.

Over 70% of the homicides in America each year are committed by individuals who were related to the victim, friends or an acquaintance.

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