St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office
The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency servicing St. Mary's County, Maryland. It has a direct jurisdiction of 764 square miles (1,980 km2) servicing (as of 2010) a population of 105,151 people.[1]
St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office | |
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St. Mary's County Sheriff Door Seal | |
Abbreviation | SMCSO |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 1637 |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | St. Mary's, Maryland, U.S. |
Map of St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction. | |
Size | 367 square miles (950 km2) |
Population | 105,151 |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Leonardtown, Maryland |
Agency executive |
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Facilities | |
Patrol cars | Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI) |
Website | |
http://www.firstsheriff.com/ |
History
The St. Mary's Sheriff's Office is one of the oldest documented sheriff's offices in the United States, starting with James Baldridge in 1637. As the county was established in 1634 along with Virginia's first eight counties, there most likely was a sheriff appointed at that time, however no documentation has been found prior to 1637. Sheriffs in St. Mary's County have been determined by election since 1776. As of 2012, the current Sheriff is Timothy Cameron with 132 deputy sheriffs.[2]
The Sheriff's Office is divided into six divisions: Administration, Patrol, Corrections, Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Special Operations and Vice/Narcotics.
The Sheriff's Office also has two highly trained emergency teams: The Emergency Services Team (EST-composed of sworn deputy sheriffs), and the Emergency Response Team (ERT-composed of correctional officers)
Divisions
Administration
Commanded by Pam McKay (https://www.firstsheriff.com/Command.asp) the Administration Division is composed of civilian personnel. The sections and personnel that fall under the direction of the Administrative Division Commander include:
· Resa
· Fiscal
· Personnel and Recruiting
· CALEA Coordinator
· Systems Administrator
· Police Services Specialist
Patrol
The Patrol Division is responsible for the general law enforcement duties in the county, including first responder to motor vehicle accidents, 9-1-1 calls and traffic enforcement. Patrol is currently commanded by Captain Eric Sweeney.
Corrections
The Corrections Division is responsible for the security, custody and control of adults sentenced or awaiting trial in the Detention Center. The division has both full-time correctional officers and civilian support staff. The division is commanded by Captain Michael Merican.
BCI
BCI is a joint venture between the Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Police. BCI is composed of detectives and crime scene investigators, and is responsible for investigating major crimes. BCI is commanded by Captain Terry Black.
Special Operations
Some of the units and functions that fall under the direction of the Special Operations Division Commander include:
· Judicial Section
o Court Security
o Child Support Enforcement
o Civil Process
· K-9 Section
· Training and Education
· Traffic Safety
· Community Policing
· Crime Prevention
· School Resource Officers
· Alcohol Enforcement
· Emergency Services Team
· Crisis Intervention Team (Hostage Negotiators)
· Armorer
· Police ATV Program
· Color Guard
· Volunteer Program
The Special Operations Division (SOD) is currently commanded by Captain Edward Willenborg. .
Vice/Narcotics
The Vice/Narcotics Division is responsible for specialized drug enforcement and vice crime enforcement, including gambling and prostitution. Vice/Narcotics is commanded by Captain Daniel Alioto.