Led by elected Sheriff Vicki Hennessy, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department serves the people of San Francisco by maintaining and operating county jails, providing law enforcement services and patrol for high-profile public buildings, and performing civil court orders on behalf of plaintiffs. The department transports all voted ballots to a central counting location and protects the voting process. Its elite and voluntary Emergency Services Unit trains for and responds to requests for local, regional, and state assistance. The department employs approximately 860 peace officers and almost 200 non-sworn staff and has been an effective, integral part of civil and criminal law enforcement since 1850.