Enforcement Management Unit (formerly Sheriff's Office)

Full description

The Enforcement Management Unit (EMU) was established in 1994 and commenced operations on 7 March 1994. Its first Director was also Deputy Director Courts. Kevin Morgan's 'A History of the Sheriff's Office of Victoria' reports that it was established due to the increasing number of criminal warrants handled by the Sheriff's Office. EMU would now manage the administrative and operational arrangements of the Sheriff's Office and PERIN (Penalty Enforcement by Registration of Infringement Notice) Court (Magistrates Courts). Under this revised structure the Sheriff reports to the Director of Enforcement Management. Previously the Sheriff reported independently to the Attorney General.

By late 1995 the Victorian Sheriff's Office had acquired responsibility for all court orders, fines, enforcement warrants and civil warrants in Victoria. It had become the first Sheriff's Office in Australia to be developed in this way.

In 1998 the appointment of Sheriff was amalgamated with that of the Director Enforcement Management which resulted in the merging of two roles.

In the lead up to the restructure the Sheriff's traditional duties in relation to juries became a separate branch of operations under the Deputy Sheriff Juries. The Juries Act 2000 superseded the title of 'Deputy Sheriff - Juries' with the new office of 'Juries Commissioner' finally making the role entirely distinct from the office of Sheriff in Victoria.

For further information about the Sheriff's Office researchers should refer to: A History of the Sheriff's Office in Victoria, by Kevin Morgan