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, the Sheriff would operate alongside the Queensland Police Service to manage civil law enforcement, local ordinances, public order, and non-emergency matters, with the aim of strengthening local response while easing pressure on frontline police.

Each Sheriff’s Office would be established within, and limited to, its Local Government Area. It would be led by a locally appointed or elected Sheriff and staffed by Deputies and officers drawn from the same community they serve.

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

Any Sheriff’s Office would operate within clear legal limits. Jurisdiction would not extend beyond LGA boundaries, authority would derive solely from existing State law, and accountability would rest with the local community through statutory oversight. The model is intended to address long-standing gaps in civil enforcement and community order, particularly in regional and rural areas where consistent local presence is critical.

The Sheriff’s Office would not duplicate police functions or expand enforcement powers. It is designed to complement existing policing arrangements by reallocating responsibility for local and civil matters, allowing police resources to remain focused on serious and complex crime.