Why is the election for sheriff important?
According to the National Sheriff’s Association, the sheriff has authority over the entire county in which he was elected. The sheriff is generally (but not always) the highest, usually elected, law-enforcement officer of a county. Chiefs of Police usually are municipal employees who are hired by a city council or mayor.
The office of sheriff is not simply another 'department' of county government. The internal operation of an office of sheriff is the sole responsibility of the elected sheriff.
The office of sheriff is a statutory/constitutional office having exclusive powers and authority under state law and/or state constitution. These inherent powers are not subject to the dictates of a local county governing body.
The office of sheriff has inherent common law powers and sovereignty granted under a state's constitution and/or state law. It is different from a county department which derives its limited authority from whatever is delegated to it by statute or by state constitution.