That's the problem with Sheriff's departments in general; an organization lacks professionalism if someone can essentially PURCHASE a badge and ID. You don't see people donating to charities for SPAM or the BPA getting badges and ID's; they get a bumper sticker, at best. This is one of the major factors in why most police oppose patrolling deputies in MA; no competitive examinations or stringent hiring processes. Sure, there are individual deputies out there that could and probably would be good street cops, but with the way sheriffs are organized you can't tell the good deputies from the clowns that donated some money or held up a sign during election time.