County High Sheriff

Photo of the County High Sheriff

Contact details
Under Sheriff contact details

The High Sheriff of Surrey is appointed by the Sovereign to hold office for one year. Three names are submitted to The Queen each March. In a ceremony that follows centuries of tradition, Her Majesty uses a brass bodkin to 'prick' the name of the High Sheriff for the following year (April to April).

In theory, the High Sheriff is The Queen's legal representative in the county. In practice, today it is largely a ceremonial role but still the oldest secular office in England and Wales other than the Crown. It dates back to Saxon times, when the name was 'Shire Reeve'. Originally, the Shrievalty – as it is known – held many of the powers now taken by the Lord Lieutenant, High Court Judges, Magistrates, Coroners, local authorities, the Inland Revenue and police.

Members of both Houses of Parliament, clergymen and other certain government officials are disqualified from taking office. Historically, the prospective High Sheriff must hold sufficient land within the County 'to answer the Queen and her people'. Other than that, there is no formal qualification for the role. The office is unpaid.

High Sheriff Youth Awards

www.surreyhighsheriff.org

The High Sheriff has had historic links with law and order since the tenth century. Today in Surrey, the High Sheriff Youth Awards scheme is a tangible example of the way the holder of this ancient office encourages young people to play a key role in helping reduce crime and bad behaviour.

The High Sheriff Youth Awards – with the strapline 'Helping young people make Surrey safer' – gives financial support to young people to fund a wide range of protects. By applying to the High Sheriff for an award to make their communities in Surrey safer, they are continuing over 1,000 years of tradition.

High Sheriff 2012-2013

The High Sheriff of Surrey for 2012-2013 is Mrs Karin Sehmer. During her year, Mrs Sehmer intends to sustain the high quality work of many of her predecessors. In particular, she will progress the work of the High Sheriff Youth Awards throughout the county – the scheme that is gaining increasing recognition as a vital part of crime prevention.

In addition to The High Sheriff Youth Awards scheme, Mrs Sehmer will be focusing her efforts on those organisations which deal with drug abuse and on those which help the physically disabled.

As history demonstrates and requires, she will also give her time and enthusiasm to all aspects of the maintenance of law and order.

Please email: HS2012@sehmer.demon.co.uk to discuss a meeting or visit.

Links with the judiciary

The historic Crown Court Service is one of many ceremonial duties undertaken during the Shrieval year. Wearing a distinctive uniform – and the unique Surrey badge of office which shows a green star with 11 points, one for each borough and district in the county – on 7 October 2011 the High Sheriff leads a procession of Her Majesty's judges and magistrates through the centre of Guildford. This maintains the original first duty of the High Sheriff – the ancient task of the care of the High Court Judges, and law and order in Surrey – that goes back 10 centuries.