The Sheriff is the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the county and, in many counties of the state, the Sheriff is also the principal source of police protection. The Sheriff's Office not only provides the community with "traditional" high profile police services such as road patrol, criminal investigation and traffic control, but also patrols lakes and waterways, maintains the county jail, enforces civil process, partners with school officials in the placement of school resource officers and carries out myriad other services. The Sheriff's Office is also an integral part of each county's emergency planning system, takes an active role in community crime prevention efforts and victims' assistance programs, is in the forefront of drug awareness education in our schools, and provides specialized services to such special populations as the elderly and veterans.