Establishing a Sheriff’s Office

Under the Sheriff’s Act (Queensland), a Local Government Area may apply to the Minister for Justice to establish a Sheriff’s Office. Applications must show a demonstrated need (such as unresolved civil matters, limited local policing capacity, or regional remoteness) and include an integration plan outlining how the Office will work with & connect to Queensland Police Service systems and protocols.

Councils that determine they also provide a financial contribution. In cases of financial hardship, the State may fund up to the full operational benchmark. Before any application is considered, councils must conduct community consultation and show that residents support the establishment of a Sheriff’s Office.

Once approved, each Office operates within a standard framework set by the State, with staffing and funding scaled to local population, geography, and service demands.

What a Sheriff’s Office Does

The Sheriff leads the Office and holds statutory authority to enforce civil court orders, uphold local laws, maintain public order, and respond to summary offences. Sheriffs may investigate Priority II indictable offences (maximum penalty of seven years or less), such as stealing, wilful damage, or fraud below specified thresholds. They may prepare briefs of evidence for prosecuting authorities and, where authorised by regulation and certified through training, may prosecute certain summary offences in the Magistrates’ Court.

Sheriffs and Deputies may carry firearms only after completing accredited training and ongoing proficiency assessments. Every operational action is recorded, uploaded, and subject to oversight.

There are strict limits. Sheriff’s Offices cannot independently investigate Priority I indictable offences such as murder, armed robbery, or drug trafficking. They cannot conduct tactical or high-risk operations except to preserve life in emergency circumstances, and their authority applies only within their own Local Government Area.

Handling Serious and Minor Offences

The Act will operate from a clear boundary between minor matters and serious crimes, defining when Sheriffs and Deputies may act independently and when matters must be handed to the police:

• Everyday issues — handled locally (Priority II offences (maximum penalty ≤ 7 years)):
  Sheriffs and Deputies respond to non-serious matters that affect daily community life. They can attend, investigate, and resolve issues like these directly:

  • Noise complaints and neighbourhood disputes

  • Public disturbances or pub fights without serious injury

  • Trespassing, vandalism, or graffiti

  • Minor assaults or property damage

  • Local ordinances breaches and civil enforcement matters

• Serious crimes — police take over (Priority I offences (maximum penalty ≥ 7 years)):
  Sheriffs and Deputies may act only to protect life, prevent immediate harm, and secure the scene. They do not conduct criminal investigations. Queensland Police Service must be notified within one hour, and all authority transfers to the police immediately upon their arrival.

All actions taken before police arrive must be recorded on body-worn cameras, logged in the State system, and reviewed by the Community Oversight Committee.

What Can Deputies Do?

Deputy Sheriffs handle everyday local law and safety issues.
They are trained public officers who focus on community-level problems, not serious crime.

Deputies can:

• Enforce local ordinances and council regulations

• Serve legal documents and carry out court orders

• Help with civil matters like evictions and property enforcement

• Provide security at courts and public facilities

• Respond to disturbances, public nuisance, and minor offences

• Take statements and gather information for less serious investigations

Deputies can also:

• Give lawful directions to keep the peace

• Stop people when necessary

• Briefly detain someone to prevent harm or disorder

What Deputies cannot do:

• They do not investigate serious crimes (like murder or armed robbery)

• They do not run major criminal investigations

If a serious crime occurs, Deputies:

• Protect life

• Secure the scene

• Keep people safe

• Immediately hand control to the Queensland Police

What Is the Sheriff’s Role?

The Sheriff directs and oversees all enforcement activity within the Sheriff’s Office, setting priorities and ensuring local laws, court orders, and civil matters are applied lawfully and fairly.

The Sheriff also serves as the community’s senior investigative authority — responsible for lower-level criminal matters and able to be formally read into serious crimes affecting the community to provide local leadership, continuity, and oversight while police lead the investigation.

The Sheriff is personally accountable for the conduct, decisions, and outcomes of the Sheriff’s Office.