to the Mayberry sheriff's department. He sometimes attempts to modernize the department by acquiring equipment of little use in sleepy Mayberry, such as an intercom system for the jailhouse ("The Great Filling Station Robbery"), and a search-and-rescue dog ("Barney's Bloodhound"). On occasion, Barney believes his experience as a long time deputy qualifies him to be a sheriff. In a second season episode ("Sheriff Barney"), he is offered the position of sheriff in the nearby town of Greendale, only to learn from Andy the difference between serving as sheriff versus deputy. He runs against Andy, only to later withdraw, in the fifth season episode "Barney Runs for Sheriff." In Return to Mayberry, Barney finally holds the position of "acting sheriff" of Mayberry and runs for the office proper; but, at the end, encourages the town to vote for Andy who has returned to Mayberry. One frequent source of comedy is Barney's incompetence with firearms. After numerous negligent discharges (usually with a Smith & Wesson or Colt .38 caliber revolver), Andy restricts Barney to carrying his gun unloaded, with only one bullet in his shirt pocket, "in case of an emergency". However, Barney tends to load his gun unnecessarily, and often ends up firing it into the floor, the ceiling, or his own gun holster. The negligent discharge of Barney's gun becomes a running gag, usually followed by Barney sheepishly handing his gun to Andy. Another recurring gag has Barney locking himself or both himself and Andy in one of the jail cells, with the keys just out of reach. Another running gag is Barney being captured by escaped criminals twice. A third gag is that even when Barney is actually competent, the result backfires on him. In the episode "Barney's Sidecar," Barney actually drives a motorcycle/sidecar quite well on patrol; however, Mayberry is so small a town that the motorcycle is practically useless for local law enforcement. Nonetheless, Barney has rare moments of courage and competence, such as when he saves a member of the state police who has been captured by criminals, and apprehends the criminals by driving to the jail with the crooks and their hostage trapped in their trailer ("Jailbreak"). This is one of the few occasions when Barney actually catches the crooks intentionally rather than by accident. When a vindictive newspaper publisher uses a female employee to trick Barney into giving away "dirt" on Andy to get