I don't worry about the Sheriff. He's a long time friend. it's urban police forces that you have to keep your eye on.
Local law rarely is a problem for locals, at least in small towns. But I don't live in your town and wouldn't trust your sheriff not to rob me. Too many departments are treating this as a revenue source.
Where I live the police - in full swat gear - broke in on a peaceful poker game. It was high stakes, but the players could afford it. They confiscated about $70,000 and the excuse they gave to the press was while the players were peaceful and unarmed (thus the need for swat) the games were sometimes robbed. Which was true, it was robbed that very night. The police then returned half the money and kept the other half. No court order on that. They just decided to keep half. And that was legal.
Armed robbery should not be legal, no matter what the robbers are wearing.