The office of Sheriff originated in England in the 9^th and 10^th Century, and is the oldest existing law enforcement unit in History. The expansion of the British Empire brought the Office of Sheriff to the colonies where it evolved into part of the American democratic fabric. The Sheriff's Office is a full service law enforcement unit throughout the vast majority of counties in the United States.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office has four basic areas of service. They are the Field Operations Division which includes patrol, civil process, and electronic home monitoring; corrections Division which is responsible for the operation of the County Jail, prisoner transport, and Courthouse Security; Communications Division which includes the 9-1-1 Communication Center, and Investigation Division which handles most of the criminal, and other in-depth investigations.

There are 98 full time Sheriff" personnel that provide service in these areas, as well as records and administration. The Sheriff's Office is available twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year to serve the citizens of DeKalb County.