Capitalize Sheriff as Political Entity, Not as One of Many
Capitalization
Rulebase Summary
Capitalize 'sheriff' when it refers to the political entity that the office represents — the one elected sheriff within a jurisdiction. Do not capitalize when referring to a local office or one of the many deputy sheriffs. Capitalize 'Sheriff's Office' only when it represents the entity itself.
Examples
A. The San Dimas sheriff's office is investigating the case.
A. The San Dimas Sheriff's Office is investigating the case.
Refers to the political entity — capitalize.
A. Several Sheriffs arrived in response to the emergency call.
A. Several sheriffs arrived in response to the emergency call.
Refers to deputies, not the elected official — lowercase.
Transcript Notes
There is just one sheriff within a jurisdiction — the elected official. All others are deputies. Capitalize the word 'sheriff' only when it refers to that one elected official, not the deputies who answer calls.
Style Guide References (1)
BGGP