Prince George's County Sheriff's Office
Encyclopedia
The Prince George's County Sheriff's Office (PGSO) provides law enforcement services in Prince George's County
, Maryland
in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Upper Marlboro
. The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of Prince George's County and is elected by popular vote of the citizens every four years. There are no term limits for the office of sheriff.
Created in 1696, the traditional duties of the Sheriff are keeper of the public peace and the enforcement arm of the county court
, analogous to the US Marshals Service. The PGSO has a relatively long history embedded within Maryland
and the United States
. The PGSO was involved with events that occurred during the burning of Washington
and affected the writing of the United States National Anthem
. Prior to 1931, the PGSO was the sole law enforcement organization within the county.
Today, the general duties of the Sheriff's Office include service of court-ordered warrants, writs, protective orders, and other injunctions. The Domestic Violence Unit has expanded its role in the county to include responding to calls for service that are domestic-related. The creation of the School Resource Deputy division has placed a deputy sheriff at all of the local high schools, replacing the County Police. All other law enforcement services of the county are provided by multiple agencies but mostly left to the separate Prince George's County Police Department
, though some responsibilities are shared by both agencies. The PGSO, like most other county-level law enforcement agencies, is a progressive agency with an array of services from a Specialized Services Team
dealing with high-risk arrest warrants and barricade situations to Community Services aiding the county citizens in safety education.
. All deputy sheriffs are certified
, sworn law enforcement officials with full power of arrest as granted by the Constitution of Maryland, the MPCTC
, and the Sheriff of Prince George's County. All sworn members of the sheriff's office are agents of the state of Maryland and thus have authority throughout the entire state, although direct jurisdiction is limited to the Seventh Judicial Circuit
of Maryland (which includes: Calvert County
, Charles County
, Prince George's County, and St. Mary's County).
. The St. Paul's Church in Charlestown
held the headquarters for the Sheriff's Office until the 1720s when it was relocated to the town of Upper Marlboro
. At the time, there was no set salary for the sheriff. Instead, he was paid in hog's head of tobacco. The headquarters for the sheriff's office was held in Upper Marlboro until 2000, when the sitting Sheriff, Al Black, moved it to Largo
where it resided until August 2008. Sheriff Jackson
returned the office headquarters to Upper Marlboro
where it is currently located.
During the War of 1812
, at the time of the burning of Washington, the sheriff's office became involved in an occurrence that led to the writing of the United States national anthem
. As the British army marched from Washington they passed through Prince George's County. Because the residents had cooperated with the British, the commander ensured that minimal damage was inflicted upon the local residents and their property. After the Battle of Bladensburg
, the British Army returned to the area of Upper Marlboro. However, this time some of the British soldiers looted local farms. A sheriff's posse subsequently arrested the offending soldiers and placed them in the county jail. Upon learning about the arrest of his soldiers, the British commander ordered the arrest of the sheriff and the posse in turn. One of the posse members was Dr. William Beam. Beam was ultimately arrested and held for ransom on a British warship. Beam's brother-in-law, Francis Scott Key
, went to Baltimore Harbor
in search of him. He witnessed the British fleet under attack which was the inspiration of the Star Spangled Banner.
. The newly created police department allowed the Sheriff's Office to focus its manpower on enforcing orders of the court.
. Magruder was posthumously promoted to Deputy First Class
.
member was shot and critically wounded while serving a warrant as part of a task force with the US Marshals. The suspect, Aaron M. Lowry, was wanted for the shooting of a Washington, DC Police Officer from the day prior. The injured deputy was flown to Baltimore Shock Trauma Center where he had surgery and was upgraded to serious but stable condition.
. Along with its traditional duties as the enforcement arm of the court, the Sheriff's Office responds to all 9-1-1
calls that are domestic-related within District III, has a Deputy (School Resource Deputy) assigned to each of its 20 high schools but recently those duties will be transferred back to the Prince George's County Police Department and has authority to enforce traffic infractions anywhere in the county.
The sheriff is elected by the citizens of Prince George's County. The rank structure of the remaining members of the Sheriff's Office is modeled after the U.S. military. The ranks of student deputy through corporal are non-competitive. sergeant through captain are competitive. Lieutenant colonel (Assistant Sheriff) and colonel (Chief Assistant Sheriff) are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of the sheriff.
The PGSO is divided into three bureaus:
, as well as domestic violence liaison services. The Bureau of Court Services is subdivided into four sections: Circuit Court, District Court, Transportation, and Building Security.
Specifically, the bureau is responsible for the safety and security of the 7th Judicial Circuit for the State of Maryland and the District Court for Prince George's County located within the court complexes and adjacent property in Upper Marlboro and Hyattsville. Yearly, between the Circuit Court, District Court, Transportation, and Building Security Sections, the bureau transports an average of 31,000 prisoners, effects 700 warrant and warrantless arrests, and interviews over 8,000 victims of domestic violence
The Civil section is responsible for service of criminal and civil summonses, and other court-ordered writs. The Landlord and Tenant (L&T) Section is responsible for notification of delinquent rent and/or mortgage payments/foreclosure
s, and court-ordered evictions. The section receives approximately 10,000 writs for non-payment each month.
The Domestic Violence Intervention Unit's primary responsibility is response to domestic-related 9-1-1
calls, court-ordered psychiatric commitments, and ex parte
protective order service. The Prince George's DV Unit was the first in the state of Maryland and the first to operate on a 24-hour basis, and is considered a nationally-recognized model. The unit receives on average over 1,200 orders per month, the highest in the state.
Administration is based out of the main headquarters located in Upper Marlboro and contains the School Resource, Public Information Office (PIO), Recruiting, Training, and Internal Affairs.
The Public Information Office (PIO) also operates an Explorers Post, Prince George's County Sheriff's Office Explorer Post #1696 for Prince George's County youths between the ages of 15 (or 14, provisionally) and 20. The sheriff and his command staff operate out of the Sheriff's Office complex located in Upper Marlboro. Most of the civilian support personnel also work out of this facility providing administrative duties such as NCIC
monitoring, teletype (TTY), uniform and supply, criminal warrant research and organization, as well as other administrative duties as directed.
The Special Operations Division (SOD) is responsible for specialized and specific services. The division is commanded by an assistant bureau chief and has different teams specifically responsible for: SST (SWAT
)-response, executive and witness protection, riot control, crisis negotiations, intelligence gathering, motorcycle escort, and ceremonial duties.
and all civilian employees are represented by the Deputy Sheriffs' Association/Fraternal Order of Police
, Maryland Lodge 112 (DSA/FOP 112). The DSA/FOP is a labor union that provides collective bargaining, legal assistance, and charitable efforts for the membership. The current president of the union is Stan Moore.
The Prince George's County Sheriff's Office uses a fleet of Chevrolet Impala
s (2003–present models), as well as some Chevrolet Lumina
s (1999–2001 model), and Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
s. The transportation unit uses specialized Chevrolet or Dodge vans. The Motorcycle unit uses Police Edition Harley-Davidson
motorcycles. The paint scheme of the PGSO marked cruisers is a white base paint with brown striping with the word "SHERIFF" emblazoned on the side. The light bars are the slim Whelen Generation II LED
s with Red and Blue colors. The Domestic Violence Intervention Unit has all marked vehicles with Panasonic
Toughbook
computers assigned to the cars.
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of Prince George's County and is elected by popular vote of the citizens every four years. There are no term limits for the office of sheriff.
Created in 1696, the traditional duties of the Sheriff are keeper of the public peace and the enforcement arm of the county court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
, analogous to the US Marshals Service. The PGSO has a relatively long history embedded within Maryland
History of Maryland
The history of Maryland included only Native Americans until Europeans, starting with John Cabot in 1498, began exploring the area. The first settlements came in 1634 when the English arrived in significant numbers and created a permanent colony. In 1776, during the American Revolution, Maryland...
and the United States
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
. The PGSO was involved with events that occurred during the burning of Washington
Burning of Washington
The Burning of Washington was an armed conflict during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. On August 24, 1814, led by General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following...
and affected the writing of the United States National Anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
. Prior to 1931, the PGSO was the sole law enforcement organization within the county.
Today, the general duties of the Sheriff's Office include service of court-ordered warrants, writs, protective orders, and other injunctions. The Domestic Violence Unit has expanded its role in the county to include responding to calls for service that are domestic-related. The creation of the School Resource Deputy division has placed a deputy sheriff at all of the local high schools, replacing the County Police. All other law enforcement services of the county are provided by multiple agencies but mostly left to the separate Prince George's County Police Department
Prince George's County Police Department
The Prince George's County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States, servicing a population of over 850,000 residents and visitors within 498 square miles of jurisdiction.-History:The Prince George's County Police Department...
, though some responsibilities are shared by both agencies. The PGSO, like most other county-level law enforcement agencies, is a progressive agency with an array of services from a Specialized Services Team
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
dealing with high-risk arrest warrants and barricade situations to Community Services aiding the county citizens in safety education.
Authority
The Sheriff of Prince George's County is the chief law enforcement official of Prince George's County per Maryland common lawCommon law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
. All deputy sheriffs are certified
Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission
Headquartered in Sykesville, MD, the Maryland Police And Correctional Training Commissions is a state oversight agency for all law enforcement and correctional agencies in Maryland.-Duties:...
, sworn law enforcement officials with full power of arrest as granted by the Constitution of Maryland, the MPCTC
Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission
Headquartered in Sykesville, MD, the Maryland Police And Correctional Training Commissions is a state oversight agency for all law enforcement and correctional agencies in Maryland.-Duties:...
, and the Sheriff of Prince George's County. All sworn members of the sheriff's office are agents of the state of Maryland and thus have authority throughout the entire state, although direct jurisdiction is limited to the Seventh Judicial Circuit
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
of Maryland (which includes: Calvert County
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
, Charles County
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
, Prince George's County, and St. Mary's County).
History
The Sheriff's Office for Prince George's County was founded April 22, 1696. The governor of Maryland, Sir Francis Nicholson, appointed Thomas Greenfield as the first SheriffSheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
. The St. Paul's Church in Charlestown
Charlestown, Maryland
Charlestown is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,019 at the 2000 census.-History:It is the location of Charlestown Historic District and Indian Queen Tavern and Black's Store, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.-Geography:Charlestown...
held the headquarters for the Sheriff's Office until the 1720s when it was relocated to the town of Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. At the time, there was no set salary for the sheriff. Instead, he was paid in hog's head of tobacco. The headquarters for the sheriff's office was held in Upper Marlboro until 2000, when the sitting Sheriff, Al Black, moved it to Largo
Largo, Maryland
Largo is an unincorporated area and census designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. The population was 8,408 at the 2000 census....
where it resided until August 2008. Sheriff Jackson
Michael A. Jackson (sheriff)
Michael A. Jackson is the former Sheriff of Prince George's County, Maryland. Pursuant to Maryland Common Law, Jackson's position as the elected sheriff made him the senior law enforcement official of his jurisdiction and his authority superseded all others within the county. Jackson, a Democrat,...
returned the office headquarters to Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro may refer to a town in the United States:* Upper Marlboro, Maryland* Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland...
where it is currently located.
Line of duty deaths
To date, there have been two deputy sheriffs killed in the line of duty.| Officer | End of Watch | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy First Class Elizabeth Magruder | |
Gunfire |
| Sergeant James V. Arnaud | |
Gunfire |
War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, at the time of the burning of Washington, the sheriff's office became involved in an occurrence that led to the writing of the United States national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
. As the British army marched from Washington they passed through Prince George's County. Because the residents had cooperated with the British, the commander ensured that minimal damage was inflicted upon the local residents and their property. After the Battle of Bladensburg
Battle of Bladensburg
The Battle of Bladensburg took place during the War of 1812. The defeat of the American forces there allowed the British to capture and burn the public buildings of Washington, D.C...
, the British Army returned to the area of Upper Marlboro. However, this time some of the British soldiers looted local farms. A sheriff's posse subsequently arrested the offending soldiers and placed them in the county jail. Upon learning about the arrest of his soldiers, the British commander ordered the arrest of the sheriff and the posse in turn. One of the posse members was Dr. William Beam. Beam was ultimately arrested and held for ransom on a British warship. Beam's brother-in-law, Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
, went to Baltimore Harbor
Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and iconic landmark of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as “the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the World.” The Inner Harbor is actually the end of the...
in search of him. He witnessed the British fleet under attack which was the inspiration of the Star Spangled Banner.
1929: Sheriff-Police split
In 1929, due to an increase in population and crime, Prince George's County created a separate police department. Prior to this time, laws allowed detectives to be used on loan from the Baltimore City Police DepartmentBaltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
. The newly created police department allowed the Sheriff's Office to focus its manpower on enforcing orders of the court.
2002: Deputies killed in the line of duty
On August 29, 2002, Sergeant James Arnaud and Deputy First Class Elizabeth Magruder were killed in the line of duty while trying to serve an Emergency Petition Service (EPS, a court-ordered psychological evaluation) on James R. Logan. At around 9:30 pm, Corporal Arnaud and Deputy Magruder were at the residence of James Logan in Adelphi, MD. While attempting to serve a petition for a psychiatric evaluation, Logan suddenly fled to a back bedroom. When Arnaud and Magruder chased after him, Logan fired at the deputies. Arnaud was shot in the neck and Magruder was shot in the back of the head. Logan fled the scene and was apprehended two days later by undercover officers. Logan was initially tried and convicted in 2003. Two years later in 2005, the decision was overturned on appeal and Logan attended a second trial. Logan was subsequently convicted again and sentenced to 30 years. Arnaud was posthumously promoted to SergeantSergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Magruder was posthumously promoted to Deputy First Class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
.
2008: Deputy wounded in Laurel
On February 16, 2008 at approximately 3:30 am, a PGSO SWATSWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
member was shot and critically wounded while serving a warrant as part of a task force with the US Marshals. The suspect, Aaron M. Lowry, was wanted for the shooting of a Washington, DC Police Officer from the day prior. The injured deputy was flown to Baltimore Shock Trauma Center where he had surgery and was upgraded to serious but stable condition.
Duties
As of 2011, the Sheriff's Office is headed by Sheriff Melvin High, presently on his first term. The agency is also unique among other Maryland counties in that it has both a sheriff's office and a county policeCounty police
County police are the police of a county in the United States, Sweden and England .- Sweden :All of the 21 Counties of Sweden contains a County Police Department of the Swedish Police Service.-United Kingdom:...
. Along with its traditional duties as the enforcement arm of the court, the Sheriff's Office responds to all 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
calls that are domestic-related within District III, has a Deputy (School Resource Deputy) assigned to each of its 20 high schools but recently those duties will be transferred back to the Prince George's County Police Department and has authority to enforce traffic infractions anywhere in the county.
Organization
The PGSO is divided into three bureaus:
Bureau of Court Services
Court services is based out of the court complex located within the municipality of Upper Marlboro and is responsible for the safety and security of the circuit court in Upper Marlboro, transportation of inmates, and to provide assistant security and law enforcement services to the District Court in Upper Marlboro and HyattsvilleHyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
, as well as domestic violence liaison services. The Bureau of Court Services is subdivided into four sections: Circuit Court, District Court, Transportation, and Building Security.
Specifically, the bureau is responsible for the safety and security of the 7th Judicial Circuit for the State of Maryland and the District Court for Prince George's County located within the court complexes and adjacent property in Upper Marlboro and Hyattsville. Yearly, between the Circuit Court, District Court, Transportation, and Building Security Sections, the bureau transports an average of 31,000 prisoners, effects 700 warrant and warrantless arrests, and interviews over 8,000 victims of domestic violence
Bureau of Field Operations
Field Operations is based out of the Largo Substation and is charged with: Civil/Landlord & Tenant, Domestic Violence Intervention Unit (DVIU or DV Unit), Warrant/Fugitive Squad, and Child Support Enforcement.The Civil section is responsible for service of criminal and civil summonses, and other court-ordered writs. The Landlord and Tenant (L&T) Section is responsible for notification of delinquent rent and/or mortgage payments/foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
s, and court-ordered evictions. The section receives approximately 10,000 writs for non-payment each month.
The Domestic Violence Intervention Unit's primary responsibility is response to domestic-related 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
calls, court-ordered psychiatric commitments, and ex parte
Ex parte
Ex parte is a Latin legal term meaning "from one party" .An ex parte decision is one decided by a judge without requiring all of the parties to the controversy to be present. In Australian, Canadian, U.K., Indian and U.S...
protective order service. The Prince George's DV Unit was the first in the state of Maryland and the first to operate on a 24-hour basis, and is considered a nationally-recognized model. The unit receives on average over 1,200 orders per month, the highest in the state.
Bureau of Administration
The Public Information Office (PIO) also operates an Explorers Post, Prince George's County Sheriff's Office Explorer Post #1696 for Prince George's County youths between the ages of 15 (or 14, provisionally) and 20. The sheriff and his command staff operate out of the Sheriff's Office complex located in Upper Marlboro. Most of the civilian support personnel also work out of this facility providing administrative duties such as NCIC
National Crime Information Center
The National Crime Information Center is the United States' central database for tracking crime-related information. Since 1967, the NCIC has been maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, and is interlinked with similar systems that each...
monitoring, teletype (TTY), uniform and supply, criminal warrant research and organization, as well as other administrative duties as directed.
Special Operations Division
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
)-response, executive and witness protection, riot control, crisis negotiations, intelligence gathering, motorcycle escort, and ceremonial duties.
Specialized units
- Specialized Services Team (SSTSWATA SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
) - VIP/Witness Protection Team (VIPER)
- Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU)
- K-9Police dogA police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
- Motorcycle Unit
- D.A.R.E.
- Hostage Negotiation
- Homeland Security and Intelligence
Union representation
Sworn personnel below the rank of captainPolice captain
- France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
and all civilian employees are represented by the Deputy Sheriffs' Association/Fraternal Order of Police
Fraternal Order of Police
The Fraternal Order of Police is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters , organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge...
, Maryland Lodge 112 (DSA/FOP 112). The DSA/FOP is a labor union that provides collective bargaining, legal assistance, and charitable efforts for the membership. The current president of the union is Stan Moore.
Rank structure
| Rank | Insignia | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sheriff Sheriff A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country.... |
 |
The Sheriff is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Prince George's County, Maryland and is accountable to the citizens. The Sheriff's rank insignia is a single gold star. |
| Colonel Colonel Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures... |
 |
The Chief Assistant Sheriff of Prince George's County is the second in command and handles the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff's Office. The Chief Assistant Sheriff's rank is Colonel, and is symbolized by a silver eagle. |
| Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence... |
 |
The Assistant Sheriff (Bureau Chief) is the third in command and has the responsibility of his/her bureau's day-to-day operations. The Assistant Sheriff's rank is Lieutenant Colonel, symbolized by a silver oak leaf. |
| Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
 |
The Deputy Bureau Chief was fourth in command, designated as the Deputy Bureau Chief, and served under the Bureau Chief (Lieutenant Colonel). The rank insignia of a major was a gold oak leaf. |
| Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant.... |
The Assistant Bureau Chief serves under the Bureau Chief (Lieutenant Colonel) and is in command of one or more Divisions. The rank insignia is symbolized by two connected gold bars. | |
| Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
 |
The Division Commander may serve as an acting Captain and is directed by the Assistant Bureau Chief. The rank insignia is symbolized by a single gold bar. |
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... |
 |
Squad Sergeant, may serve as Acting Lieutenant, is in charge of a squad of Deputy Sheriffs at the rank of Corporal and below. The sergeant's rank is symbolized by three gold chevrons on a black background. |
| Corporal Corporal Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4.... |
 |
Supervisor, colloquially "9-car", may serve as Acting Sergeant and has a rank symbolized by two gold chevrons on a black background. |
| Deputy First Class Private First Class Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term... |
 |
Time-in-rate promotion |
| Deputy Sheriff, Private Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career... |
 |
Recruits successfully completing the Police Academy are appointed as Deputy Sheriffs, Private. |
| Student Deputy | |
Title of trainees while attending the Police Academy Police academy A police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police... |
Fleet
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
s (2003–present models), as well as some Chevrolet Lumina
Chevrolet Lumina
The North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
s (1999–2001 model), and Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Though the name has been officially in use since 1992, the 1978–1991 full-size LTDs and LTD Crown Victorias and 1992 updated body style used the "P72" production code designation for both fleet/taxi and police models, with the model itself being internally classified as S...
s. The transportation unit uses specialized Chevrolet or Dodge vans. The Motorcycle unit uses Police Edition Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
motorcycles. The paint scheme of the PGSO marked cruisers is a white base paint with brown striping with the word "SHERIFF" emblazoned on the side. The light bars are the slim Whelen Generation II LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
s with Red and Blue colors. The Domestic Violence Intervention Unit has all marked vehicles with Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
Toughbook
Toughbook
Toughbook is a trademarked brand name owned by Panasonic Corporation and refers to its line of rugged computers. The Toughbook is designed to withstand vibration, drops, spills, extreme temperature, and other rough handling....
computers assigned to the cars.