sheriffs

Reeves were Anglo-Saxon officials, and the king's reeves had special duties to keep order and collect royal dues. By the 11th cent. English kings put each shire under a scirgerefa (‘shire-reeve’, sheriff) who administered justice and collected revenues. Their powers and duties were greatly increased by the Normans, and they became notorious for high-handedness. The crown's long-term solution was to spread the exercise of local administration and justice, especially, from the 14th cent., through justices of the peace; since the 16th cent. sheriffs have been largely county figureheads.