The Sheriff's Act (Queensland) is a proposed legislative framework that would allow Queensland communities and local governments to appoint or elect a local Sheriff, supported by Deputies and staff drawn from the community they serve.

Operating under the authority of State legislation and in coordination with the Queensland Police Service, Sheriff's Offices would manage civil law enforcement, local ordinances, public order, and non-emergency matters. The aim is to strengthen local response while easing pressure on frontline police.

Sheriffs and Deputies are not police officers. Their role is preventative and community-focused, centred on civil enforcement, managing public disturbances, summary offences, and compliance with local residential and commercial ordinances. Where required, they may provide an initial on-scene response in coordination with police, subject to clear transfer-of-command protocols.

Sheriff's Offices would be created under State legislation but locally employed, accountable to the community they serve. Working in coordination with the Queensland Police Service, they would manage civil law enforcement, local ordinances, public order, and non-emergency matters, strengthening local response while easing pressure on frontline police.

By taking on responsibility for local and civil matters, the Sheriff's Office complements existing policing and lets police resources stay focused on serious and complex crime. The model is intended to close long-standing gaps in civil enforcement and community order, particularly in regional and rural areas where local support is critical.