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The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office is a law enforcement agency in Whatcom County, Washington.
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Jurisdiction and responsibilities
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining the county jail, providing security at the Whatcom County Superior Court, serving civil processes, coordinating emergency management among the county's emergency services, and maintaining law and order in rural areas.
History
The first sheriff was Ellis "Yankee" Barnes who was sworn-in to office in 1854, during a period in which the border between the United States and British Columbia along Whatcom County had not been fully delineated. That year, Barnes seized and auctioned 34 rams that belonged to Canadian farmer Charles Griffin for Griffin's failure to pay United States taxes. The event was one of several provocations that led to the Pig War between the United States and the United Kingdom.
In 1863 James Kavanaugh served as sheriff. Kavanaugh, who married Princess Tol Sol of the Swinomish tribe, had previously served as the first United States Marshal in the Pacific Northwest.
In 2005 the sheriff's office reported 80 deputies and 53 corrections officers on-staff.
As of 2016, the sheriff is Bill Elfo.