| Agencyname: | Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office |
| Abbreviation: | AASO |
| Patch: | MD - Anne Arundel County Sheriff.jpg |
| Formedyear: | 1650 |
| Country: | United States |
| Countryabbr: | USA |
| Divtype: | State |
| Divname: | Maryland |
| Map: | Map of Maryland highlighting Anne Arundel County.svg |
| Sizearea: | 588sqmi |
| Sizepopulation: | 510,878 |
| Headquarters: | Annapolis, Maryland |
| Chief1name: | Everett L. Sesker |
| Chief1position: | Sheriff |
| Chief2name: | Col James Williams |
| Chief2position: | Chief Deputy Sheriff |
| Website: | http://www.aacounty.org/Sheriff/index.cfm |
The Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office (AASO) is the law enforcement arm of the court, serving the citizens of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. All deputy sheriffs are certified law enforcement officials with full authority of arrest.
The AASO was organized in 1650. John Norwood was appointed the first sheriff[1] 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.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
The duties of the AASO 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 AASO is also charged with assisting other law enforcement agencies as needed.
The current sheriff is Everett L. Sesker, serving his first term. He is the first Black sheriff of Anne Arundel County.[5]
The AASO is divided into three bureaus:[6]
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 is responsible the following sections: Transportation Squads and Security Squads.
The Bureau of Administration is responsible for the oversight of the following sections: Personnel, Finance, Training, Procurement, Community Relations, Communications and Document Control.
Since the establishment of the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office, one officer has died while on duty.[7]