The origin of the Sheriff is
traceable to the Office of the
Sheriff and Constable of early
English history. On Long Island,
from 1664 to 1683, ridings were
used to establish boundaries within
the Shire. The East riding
comprised the territory now
occupied by Suffolk County. The
West riding consisted of Kings
County and Newtown (Queens). The
remainder of Long Island belonged
to the North riding. Collectively,
the three ridings were called
Yorkshire.
The Governor appointed a “High
Sheriff” for Yorkshire with a
Deputy from each riding. In 1683,
the ridings were abolished and the
East riding became Suffolk County.
The High Sheriff was no longer
necessary being that each County
would now have its own Sheriff.
Suffolk County’s first Sheriff was
Josiah Hobart in 1683.
After the American Revolution, the
practice of the Governor appointing
a Sheriff continued and was
incorporated into the first
Constitution adopted in New York in
1777. At the Constitutional
Convention in 1821, the appointed
Office of the Sheriff was made
elective. That year, Abraham
Gardiner became Suffolk County’s
first elected Sheriff.
Today, the Sheriff of Suffolk
County is elected to the term of
four years.
