Elizabeth "Liz" Forbes is the Sheriff of Mystic Falls and the mother of Caroline Forbes. Her husband, Bill Forbes, who was a member of the town's council, had left her for another man after revealing that he was gay. She is first introduced at a Founders Day party at Mayor Lockwood's house. There, she is shown to have a strained relationship with her daughter. However she does care a lot for her well-being, which is shown when she arrests a bartender after Caroline gets drunk. She is revealed to be a member of the Founders Council, a secret organization dedicated to protecting Mystic Falls from vampires. After Damon Salvatore saves her from vampire Lexi Branson, Liz becomes friends with Damon and is seen letting him know about the Council's plans. In the season one finale she is smacked across the head and locked up to a desk with her own handcuffs by John Gilbert, because she doesn't agree with his plan to use the town as bait in order to capture the tomb vampires. She is later saved by Carol Lockwood, but they are unable to save Mayor Lockwood, who is burned with the vampires.