St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office

History

The St. Mary's Sheriff's Office is one of the oldest documented Sheriff's office 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.

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)

Administration

Commanded by Brian Eley, 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.