The Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office (AACOSO) is the law enforcement arm of the court, serving the citizens of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, population 588,261. All deputy sheriffs are certified law enforcement officials with full authority of arrest. The constitution of Maryland, Article IV, Section 44, establishes the Office of an elected Sheriff in each County and Baltimore City. The duties of the Sheriff are those established by common law, judicial opinion and the Maryland General Assembly. (e.g., Prince George's County V. Aluisi, MD Court of Appeals, June 8, 1999).

History The AACOSO is the oldest Law Enforcement agency in Anne Arundel County and was organized in 1650. John Norwood was appointed the first sheriff and was paid in pounds of tobacco for services rendered (e.g., serving any writ such as a warrant, tending prisoners, collecting taxes, etc.). In 1776, with the formation of the Maryland Constitution, the sheriff became an elected position with an initial term lasting one year. The term was then changed to three years, then two, and finally four years in 1926 where it remains today.

In 2016, county leaders asked sheriff Ron Bateman to resign after he was charged with assault following a domestic dispute with his wife. He stayed on until 2018.

In 2022, a sergeant allegedly assaulted a woman in a parking lot. Despite being aware of the allegations, the Sheriff's Office took no action. After a few days a deputy informed the Anne Arundel County Police of the incident and the police arrested the sergeant.

Office of the Sheriff Service Record Dates ServedSheriff1658-1663John Norwood1663-1664Samuel Chew1664-1665Capt. William Burgess1665-1666Richard Ewen1666-1670Capt. Thomas Stockett1670-1673unknown1673-1676Henry Stockett1676-1678/9John Welsh1678/9-1682Robert ffranklin1683-1685George Burgess1685-1690Capt. Henry Hanslap1690-1692Abel Brown1692-1694Benjamin Scrivener1694-1697Capt. William Holland1697-1699Richard Beard1699-c.1701Thomas Reynoldsc. 1701-1705John Gresham, Jun1705/6-1708Josiah Wilson1708-1711John Gresham, Jun1711-1714Thomas Gassaway1714-1717Thomas Reynolds1714-1718Benjamin Tasker1718-1721Stephen Warman1721-1723Henry Lazenby1723John Gresham1724-1725Zachariah Maccubbin1725-1726John Gresham1726-1727Daniel Mariartee1727-1730James Govane1731-1733Zachariah Maccubbin1733John Welsh1733-1736Nicholas Maccubbin1736-1739Zachariah Maccubbin1739-1742John Darnell1742-1745/6Samuel Smith1745/6-1748William Thornton1748/9-1751John Gassaway1751-1755Maj. Nathan Hammond1755-1757John Raitt1757-1760Upton Scott1761-1763Kensey Johns1763Lancelot Jacques1764-1766Joseph Galloway1767-1769William Stewart1770-1772John Clapham1773-1775William Noke1776-1778Thomas Deale1778William Harwood1778-1779John Burgess1779-1782Capt. Thomas Harwood1782-1785Richard Harwood1785-1788David Stewart1788-1791Benjamin Howard1791Nicholas Watkins1791Richard Wells1791James Williams1791-1794William Goldsmith1794-1797Richard Harwood1797-1800John Welch1800-1803Henry Howard1803-1805Jasper E. Tilly1805-1809John McCeney 1809-1812John Cord1812-1815Solomon Groves1815-1818Robert Welch of Benjamin1818-1821Benjamin Gaither1821-1824William O'Hara1824-1827Robert Welch of Benjamin1827-1830Richard Iglehart1830-1833Bushrod W. Marriott1833-1836Robert Welch of Benjamin1836-1841John P. Selby1842-1845Benjamin T. Pindle1845-1848Richard Welch of Benjamin1848-1851William Bryan1851-1853Nicholas I. Worthington1853-1855Thomas Ireland1855-1856Ezekiel E. Bell1856-1859Edwin W. Duvall1859-1861Thomas Ireland1861-1863William Bryan1863-1865P. M. McCullough1865-1867R. S. Woodward1867-1869P. Dorsey Carr1869-1871Edwin W. Duvall1871-1873Henry Chaire1873-1875P. Dorsey Carr1875-1877Thomas S. Nutwell1877-1879J. B. Wells1879-1881Thomas S. Nutwell1881-1883H. S. Anderson1883-1885Joseph O. Fowler1885-1887R. P. Sellman1887-1889John G. Crane1889-1891James S. Armiger1891-1893H. Clement Claude 1893-1895Thomas I. Linthicum1895-1897Joseph W. Fowler1897-1899Frank S. Revell1899-1901John Boure1901-1903George T. Beasley1903-1905Samuel B. Hardy1905-1907Joshua Linthicum 1907-1909James E. Williams 1909-1911Frank S. Revell1911-1913George T. Beasley1913-1915John E. Potee1915-1917J. Carson Boush1917-1919Joseph H. Bellis1919-1921Thomas S. Dove1921-1923Harry T. Levely1923-1926John Bowie 1926-1930 Michael F. Carter1930-1934R. Glenn Prout1934-1938Joseph W. Alton1938-1942Russell C. Turner 1942-1946Joseph C. Griscom 1946-1949Joseph W. Alton1949-1950Charles M. Russell1950-1962Joseph W. Alton, Jr.1962-1990William R. Huggins1990-1994Robert G. Pepersack, Sr.1994-2006George F. Johnson2006-2018Ronald S. Bateman2018-2022James Fredericks2022-Everett L. Sesker

Duties The duties of the AACOSO are to enforce writs of the court, maintain Circuit Court warrants for the county, extradite prisoners from foreign jurisdictions, transport prisoners between holding facilities and the courts, and maintain courtroom decorum. The AACOSO is also charged with assisting other law enforcement agencies as needed.

Organization The current sheriff is Everett L. Sesker, serving his first term. He is the first Black sheriff of Anne Arundel County.

The AACOSO is divided into three bureaus: The Bureau of Field Operations The Bureau of Field Operations is responsible for the oversight of the following sections: Warrant Squads, Civil Squads, Domestic Violence Squad and K9 Squad.

The Bureau of Court Security The Bureau of Court Security is responsible the following sections: Transportation Squads and Security Squads.

The Bureau of Administration The Bureau of Administration is responsible for the oversight of the following sections: Personnel, Finance, Training, Procurement, Community Relations, Communications and Document Control.

Rank structure and insignia +TitleInsigniaDutiesSheriffThe sheriff is the head of the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's OfficeColonelThe colonel is the Chief Deputy Sheriff of the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's OfficeCaptainCaptains are Bureau CommandersLieutenantLieutenants are Shift Commanders/Assistant Bureau CommandersSergeantSergeants are first line supervisors.CorporalCorporals are usually assigned to Criminal Apprehension, Civil Process, or as Court Officers.Deputy first classDeputy first class are usually assigned to Criminal Apprehension, Civil Process, or as Court OfficersDeputyNo insigniaDeputies are usually assigned to Criminal Apprehension, Civil Process, or as Court Officers

Fallen deputies - killed in the line of duty

January 10, 1967 – Deputy Sheriff Clarence Johnson succumbed to inquires sustained in an automobile accident on Ritchie Highway while transporting a prisoner to the Anne Arundel County Jail. The prisoner had previously resisted arrest for service of a bench warrant. Both Deputy Johnson and the prisoner were killed after it was reported that the subject may have begun to struggle with Deputy Johnson during transport. Deputy Johnson was survived by his wife and six children.

August 15, 2022 – Deputy Sheriff Scott C. McArdle had reported to duty for his assigned shift with the Domestic Violence Unit. He began to feel unwell shortly after and immediately sought aid at the Anne Arundel Medical Center. He died during treatment from a heart attack.

See also

List of law enforcement agencies in Maryland

References

External links Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office homepage