The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is the largest full-service law enforcement agency in Maryland. We have more than 650 employees, including 300 Police Officers, 200 Correctional Officers, and 150 civilian personnel.
We are comprised of 11 divisions which operate together to serve the citizens of Charles County:
The Office of the Sheriff is comprised of the Sheriff, Chief of Staff, three Assistant Sheriffs, the Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Office of the General Counsel.
Sheriff Troy D. Berry is a 30-year veteran of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and was first elected as Sheriff in 2014. He was re-elected in 2018 and 2022. He leads an Agency of over 650 employees and is the final authority on all matters of policy, operations, and discipline.
Email: BerryT@ccso.us
Mr. Brian Eley serves as Sheriff Berry’s Chief of Staff. He is the highest responsible senior administrative and supervisory authority of all employees of the Agency. He is directly responsible for the Office of the General Counsel and the Executive Services Division. Chief of Staff Eley is a retired CCSO Captain and most recently served as the Assistant Sheriff of Administration.
Email: EleyB@ccso.us
Three Assistant Sheriffs are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Agency. Major William Edge serves as the Assistant Sheriff of Operations and is responsible for Patrol Operations and the Criminal Investigations Division. Major Michael Almassy serves as the Assistant Sheriff of Administration and is responsible for the Corrections Division, the Special Services Division, the Information Technology Division, and the Administrative Services Division. Major David Kelly serves as the Assistant Sheriff of Field and Support, and oversees the Special Operations Division, Training Division, and Community Services Division.
Email: AlmassyM@ccso.us, EdgeW@ccso.us, or KellyD@ccso.us
The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is an independent component of the CCSO and maintains the integrity of the Agency by ensuring the professional conduct of Agency personnel. OPR’s two functions include Internal Affairs and Standards and Audits, and it operates under the command of Captain John Dodge.
Email: DodgeJ@ccso.us
The Office of the General Counsel, lead by Mr. Jerome Spencer, provides legal counsel and representation for the Sheriff’s Office.
Email: SpencerJ@ccso.us
The most visible component of the Agency is the Patrol Division, whose chief responsibilities are maintaining law and order and restoring peace when public safety is threatened. The Patrol Division prevents and investigates crime, responds to calls for service, and enforces traffic laws. Captain Andrew Schwab serves as the Commander of the Southern District and Captain Clarence Black serves as the Commander of the Northern District.
Five shifts of patrol officers (ranked corporal and below) and four sergeants each provide police services day and night throughout Charles County. Each officer is assigned to either the Northern District or the Southern District of the county. Additionally, 11 lieutenants serve as shift commanders in the Patrol Division, ensuring a commander is always on duty in both the Northern District and Southern District. Shift commanders coordinate the Patrol Division’s response to major incidents and make critical operational decisions.
Email: SchwabA@ccso.us or BlackC@ccso.us
The Special Operations Division, under the command of Captain Jason Carlson, performs tactical assignments and provides community and school-based services that engage citizens and businesses in public safety activities. The division includes the Field Operations Section.
Email: CarlsonJ@ccso.us
- The Field Operations Section is supervised by Lieutenant Matthew Thompson and includes the Traffic Operations Unit, K9 Unit, Security Response Vessel, Unmanned Aerial System (UAE), and the Emergency Services Team (EST).
- The Traffic Operations Unit investigates traffic fatalities, school bus crashes, school bus complaints, and abandoned vehicles; conducts radar operations and commercial vehicle inspections; provides funeral escorts; and manages all traffic-related grants awarded to the CCSO.
- The K-9 Unit consists of a sergeant, a trainer and 9 dogs of which include 5 Patrol/Narcotics detection canines, 2 Patrol/Weapon detection canines, 1 Explosive/Weapon detection canine, and 2 Bloodhound tracking/trailing canines. Each K9 team is certified by agency, International Police Working Dog Association (IPWDA) and Old Dominion SAR/SUMNER-EMA standards.
- The Security Response Vessel is a specially-trained team of officers and civilians who provide law enforcement services on the waterways of Charles County. The vessels are specially designed for law enforcement use and are equipped to handle a variety of possible situations.
- The Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAE) Unit
- The Emergency Services Team
- Automated Enforcement Unit
- Intoximeter Operator Function
- Motorcycle Function
- Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Function
Email: ThompsonM@ccso.us
The Community Services Division, under the command of Captain Caroline Baker, administers innovative and effective crime prevention programs, provides instruction and security in county schools, and leads numerous community outreach efforts. As a testament to the success of the Community Services Division’s programs and its commitment to working closely with citizens and businesses to prevent crime, the CCSO has received the Maryland Governor’s Crime Prevention Award each year since 1988.
Email: BakerCE@ccso.us
- The Community Relations Section, under the command of Lieutenant Travis Yates, oversees the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Unit, Fingerprint Unit, the Community Organizer, the Community Engagement Unit, and the Crisis Negotiations Team:
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- Officers assigned to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Unit maintain ties with neighborhoods that participate in the program. Neighborhoods work with COPS officers who help implement crime prevention programs; address problems and concerns; attend community meetings; and conduct foot, bicycle, and ATV patrols. As a result of their diverse training, these officers are often assigned to special details to address specific crime trends in the county. The COPS Unit Sergeant also supervises the Alcohol Enforcement Officer and the Honor Guard, which was originally formed to assist families of fallen officers at funerals. It is now a dignified presence at many CCSO and community functions.
- The Fingerprint Unit includes a Civilian Coordinator and Civilian Specialist. Fingerprinting services are offered by appointment only in our office in the St. Charles Towne Center.
- The Community Organizer oversees the Citizens Advisory Committee and works with local organizations to coordinate outreach programs and events.
- The Community Engagement Unit includes a Civilian After School Program Coordinator, Crime Prevention Officers, and the Special Events Team.
- The Crisis Negotiations Team is specially trained to bring situations involving barricaded individuals and hostages to peaceful conclusions. Negotiators volunteer for the team in addition to their regular duty assignments.
Email: YatesT@ccso.us
- The School Resource Section, supervised by Lieutenant Christopher Strafella, facilitates the strong alliance between police and Charles County school students. As part of an agreement with Charles County Public Schools, officers are assigned to each elementary, middle, and high school to provide programs such as Safe Schools, Truth and Consequences, and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE). The officers typically host a Ladies Leadership Soccer Camp, Badges for Baseball Camp, Cops for Kids Football Camp, DARE conference, a Summer Youth Achievement Program, and We Care, a program designed to reduce teen traffic fatalities by using innovative methods to encourage young motorists to drive safely. The School Resource Section also oversees:
- The Criminal Justice Program. High school students considering a career in law enforcement have an opportunity to learn about the criminal justice system as part of their academic curriculum in the Criminal Justice Program offered through an alliance between the CCSO and Charles County Public Schools. The program is held at North Point High School.
- Teen Court, which provides first-time youth offenders with an opportunity to accept responsibility for traffic offenses, misdemeanor crimes, and tobacco and alcohol offenses without the stigma of a formal criminal record. Youth offenders are represented by youth defense attorneys, prosecuted by youth prosecutors, and sentenced by youth juries. An adult volunteer serves as a judge. The program teaches students about the criminal justice process, helps them better resolve problems, and reduces recidivism.
- Public Safety Cadets Post
- School Crossing Guards
- Search Management Function
Email: StrafellaC@ccso.us
The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) investigates complex crimes and crime trends. Under the command of Captain Harry Ivers, the division operates five sections — Persons Crimes, Property Crimes, Forensic Science, Homeland Security, and Narcotics Enforcement.
Email: IversH@ccso.us
- The Persons Crimes Section, commanded by Lieutenant Anthony Celia, includes the Major Crimes, Special Victims, Robbery, and Forensic Science Units:
- The Major Crimes Unit investigates homicides, deaths, shootings, stabbings, life-threatening assaults, cold cases, missing persons, and the rare occurrences of police-involved shootings.
- The Special Victims Unit (SVU) investigates rapes, sexual assaults, physical and sexual child abuse, and the exploitation of the elderly. The circumstances of these investigations can be difficult and very emotional for detectives.
- The Robbery Unit investigates citizen and commercial armed robberies.
Email: CeliaA@ccso.us
- The Property Crimes Section, commanded by Lieutenant Erica Budd, investigates property and financial crimes; analyzes crime trends; and provides services to crime victims. It consists of the Financial Crimes Unit, Auto Theft Detail, and Victim Services Unit:
- The Financial Crimes Unit investigates fraud schemes, identity theft, and embezzlement.
- Detectives assigned to the Auto Theft Detail investigate vehicle thefts.
- The Victim Services Unit works with local, state and regional agencies including the Center for Abused Persons, the Center for Children, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, and Victims Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) to ensure victims understand their rights and have access to counseling and compensation.
Email: BuddE@ccso.us
- The Forensic Science Section (FSS), commanded by Deputy Director Noelle Gehrman, is comprised of a Quality Assurance Manager, Forensic Science Technicians, and Latent Print Specialists who provide critical support to patrol officers and detectives by processing crime scenes and analyzing evidence.
Email: GehrmanN@ccso.us
- The Homeland Security & Intelligence Section, commanded by Lieutenant William Welch, investigates street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, extremist activities, threats against public officials, terrorism, and organized crime. The Section receives and disseminates intelligence information and publishes law enforcement bulletins for the CCSO and allied agencies nationwide. An investigator from the Homeland Security & Intelligence Section is also part of the Southern Maryland Information Center (SMIC), a regional operation that facilitates information sharing between the CCSO, the Calvert and St. Mary’s County Sheriffs’ Offices, the Maryland State Police and the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center. Representatives from each agency analyze reports and identify cross-jurisdictional crime trends. The Homeland Security & Intelligence Section supervises the Crime Analysis Unit and the Firearms Investigations Unit:
- The Crime Analysis Unit collects, analyzes, and disseminates crime data for the CCSO’s CompStat program. CompStat is an analysis-driven method of proactively addressing crime problems. District Commanders use the crime analysis data as part of weekly CompStat meetings to address crime in their districts.
- The Firearms Investigations Unit (FIU) is a team of experienced detectives who investigate cases involving the illegal manufacture, sale, and/or possession of firearms, gun trafficking, and other crimes involving firearms. The FIU coordinates their efforts with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is responsible for following-up on leads developed from NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network).
Email: WelchW@ccso.us
- The Narcotics Enforcement Section (NES), commanded by Lieutenant Elliott, works covertly and aggressively to disrupt drug trafficking in Charles County. The effective disruption of drug trafficking is vital to the reduction of crime overall. The section includes the Major Narcotics Unit and the Narcotics Street Enforcement Unit.
Email: ElliottJr@ccso.us
Additionally, the CCSO employs a full-time Heroin Coordinator as part of the Opioid Addiction Program.
The responsibility of keeping incarcerated individuals at the Charles County Detention Center (CCDC) secure rests with the Corrections Division under the command of Director Ryan V. Ross and Deputy Director Gerald Duffield. The Corrections Division is divided into four sections.
Contact: RossR@ccso.us
- The Custody and Security Section, commanded by Captain Tony Oliver, is responsible for internal and external security of the facilities. This section is comprised of four security teams which are the main operational element of the Corrections Division.
Email: OliverT@ccso.us
- The Special Services Section, commanded by Captain Matthew Dixon, is responsible for standards and accreditation, training, security maintenance, incarcerated individuals commissary, and supplies:
- The Standards and Accreditation Commander is Lt. Matthew Irby. He conducts audits and inspections to ensure the CCDC operates according to the hundreds of standards set by the Maryland Commission on Correctional Standards (MCCS). In 2001, the CCDC became the first detention facility in Maryland to score 100 percent on an MCCS audit and achieved 100 percent scores after audits in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022.
- Lt. Ryan Taylor serves as the Corrections Division’s Training Commander. He ensures all correctional officers fulfill training obligations mandated by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions (MPCTC).
- Lt. Kevin Conley serves as the Corrections Division’s Facilities Management Commander. He ensures the facilities are well maintained and properly supplied. He also works closely with contractors who maintain various systems and equipment within the detention center.
Email: DixonM@ccso.us
- The Support Services Section, commanded by Captain Brian Gardiner, is responsible for central processing and incarcerated individuals programs and services. This section also oversees the incarcerated individuals library and the law library.
- Lt. Jonathan Palmer serves as the Central Processing Commander. He ensures the completeness, accuracy, and security of incarcerated individuals records and maintains communication with court systems, police agencies, and other correctional facilities. The unit is comprised of Records, Intake, Finance, Transportation, and Court Holding.
- Lt. James Kelly serves as the Jail Services Commander. He strives to reduce recidivism by offering programs that help incarcerated individuals re-enter society as productive citizens.
Email: GardinerB@ccso.us
Lt. Stacy Kelly serves as an Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigator to ensure the integrity of Corrections Division personnel.
The employees of the Support Services Division, commanded by Captain Chris Schmidt, are the critical link between citizens and the police and between officers and the information they need to do their jobs safely and efficiently.
Email: SchmidtLO@ccso.us
The Records Management Section, managed by Deputy Director Amber DiToto, preserves and maintains thousands of reports filed through the CCSO each year.
Email: DiTotoA@ccso.us
The employees of the SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION, commanded by Captain Louis Schmidt, are the critical link between citizens and the police and between officers and the information they need to do their jobs safely and efficiently.
The Records Management Section, commanded by Deputy Director Amber DiToto, is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the centralized records unit and the public-facing lobby at Sheriff’s Office Headquarters. As the Custodian of Police Records, Deputy Director DiToto holds the obligation to ensure that each record is complete, readable, and accessible for its full retention period, and that the proper disposition is carried out after its retention period is fulfilled. This section maintains and monitors police records systems, oversees the security, storage, retention, retrieval, and disposition activities of all police records.
In 2022, the employees in this section:
• Handled all initial questions from visitors to the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters;
• Processed and cataloged 18,717 police reports and supplemental reports (including incidents, accidents, missing persons, and alcohol influence reports);
• Completed 1,015 expungements;
• Processed 44,827 citations including ETIX, parking citations, warnings, traffic stop data sheets, and safety equipment repair orders;
• Recorded 4,807 false alarm notifications;
• Validated 1,439 METERS entries;
• Processed 3,145 in-car camera video requests, State’s Attorney’s discovery requests, and 2,919 other report requests;
• Processed 12,435 pieces of postal mail; and
• Processed 728 record checks.
The Communications Section, commanded by Lt. Pat Tona, provides police radio communications to officers and clerical coverage of the district stations in La Plata, Bryans Road, and Waldorf. Each district station is staffed by Station Clerks responsible for answering the CCSO’s non-emergency telephone lines and for helping citizens who visit the district stations. The station clerks’ training prepares them to handle a variety of citizen reports and inquiries, from life-threatening emergencies to the occasional non-police matter. Their primary mission is to obtain clear and concise information and relay that information to Police Communications Officers (PCOs), who dispatch the information to officers conducting patrol or other assignments.
Email: TonaP@ccso.us
The Information Technology Division (ITD), led by Director David Hanna, is vital in ensuring the CCSO functions efficiently in our digital world. ITD develops and implements a strategic plan to maintain and evolve systems, infrastructure, physical and virtual servers, enterprise applications, security, cloud, mobile initiatives, training and future growth to support the objectives and success of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. The highly knowledgeable staff assigned to the Applications Support, PC Operations, and Systems Operations Support Sections maintains hundreds of PCs, printers, networks, complex servers, and software applications. Every function of the CCSO relies on the daily use of computers and digital police databases, and the ITD personnel are always available to ensure law enforcement services are uninterrupted.
Email: HannaD@ccso.us
The Special Services Division, commanded by Captain Charles Baker, handles judicial matters, ensures the security of the Charles County Courthouse, and maintains the Agency’s fleet, supply stock, and property inventory.
Email: BakerC@ccso.us
The Judicial Services Section, commanded by Lieutenant Christopher Cusmano, serves arrest warrants, civil papers, and other legal documents; and addresses child support and domestic violence problems.
Email: CusmanoC@ccso.us
The Property Management Section, commanded by Lieutenant Scott Grove, manages the CCSO’s Quartermaster, Fleet Management, Property Held Unit, and Firearms Tracking Operations.
Email: GroveS@ccso.us
The Courthouse Section provides security services for the Charles County District and Circuit Courts. This section is commanded by Lieutenant Charles Gass.
Email: GassC@ccso.us
The Executive Services Division, commanded by Captain Ashley Burroughs, manages Planning and Accreditation, Media Relations, the Chaplain program and acts as the liaison to the Sheriff.
Email: BurroughsJ@ccso.us
Planning and Accreditation, managed by Deputy Director Laurie Coyle, writes and maintains the policy contained in the CCSO’s Administrative and Operational Manual and ensures the CCSO maintains its internationally recognized accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). The Agency continues to maintain the highest standards and earned a Gold Standard of Excellence during the 2020 CALEA audit.
Email: CoyleL@ccso.us
The Media Relations Office coordinates the distribution of information about police investigations, crime prevention, and CCSO events to the news media and public. The office issues regular press releases; manages the content of the CCSO’s website; produces the Annual Report, an internal newsletter, advertisements, brochures, posters, and fliers; and manages the CCSO’s social media accounts.
Local clergymen offer guidance and inspiration to CCSO personnel and the public through Chaplain Services. Chaplains minister to CCSO personnel in times of personal need or strife and provide comfort to those who are injured or afflicted. They accompany officers who must notify families of the death of a loved one and would assist in notifying the family of an officer who was seriously injured or slain. Chaplains also provide invocations and benedictions at CCSO ceremonies.
The CCSO is committed to maintaining a highly qualified workforce, to utilizing financial resources efficiently, and to maintain thorough and accurate record keeping. The Administrative Services Division, commanded by Captain Joseph Pratta, is responsible for helping the CCSO meet its strict personnel, budgetary, and records management standards.
Email: PrattaJ@ccso.us
The Budgeting Section, managed by Deputy Director Erin Shoemaker, provides leadership on all accounts and projects which affect the budget for the Office of the Sheriff. This section is responsible to prepare the annual budgets and financial analyses of the Sheriff’s Office operations for upper level management and County agencies. A well trained team of budget professionals promotes the sound budgetary management practices, oversees the budget preparation process, and assists in meeting the CCSO’s personnel and operational needs.
Email: ShoemakerE@ccso.us
The Accounting Section, managed by Deputy Director Amy Mayor, promotes sound financial management practices, accounts for Agency owned property, and assists in meeting the operating needs of the Sheriff’s Office. The section is composed of four major areas, which include Accounts Payable, General Accounting, Payroll, and Inmate Accounting.
Email: MayorA@ccso.us
The Human Resources Section, managed by Deputy Director Brian Daniels, handles administrative personnel tasks for potential and current employees. Once the Human Resources Section determines an applicant meets position requirements, the Pre-Employment Investigations Unit performs an extensive background investigation of the applicant. The unit’s mission is to ensure only the applicants with the highest levels of integrity are awarded positions with the CCSO. Background investigations involve polygraphs, psychological examinations, physical examinations, and drug screenings.
Email: DanielsB@ccso.us
The Pre-Employment/Recruitment Unit seeks the best potential police and correctional officer candidates for employment with the CCSO. The unit attends job fairs and other events to engage those who are interested and to guide those who have decided to pursue careers in law enforcement.
The Training Division ensures the CCSO meets state-mandated requirements and provides a variety of other training needs. Commanded by Captain Bobby Kiesel, the division is comprised of the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy, the Firearms Instruction Detail, and the Cadet Program.
Email: KieselR@ccso.us
The Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy (SMCJA) provides entry-level training to all police and correctional officers in Southern Maryland. The SMCJA is funded and governed by the sheriffs’ offices in Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties, which provide the Academy’s full-time staff of instructors and support personnel.
Once officers have completed entry-level training, they must complete a required number of hours of “in-service” training. The Training Division handles all annual in-service training classes and ensures all required documentation is submitted to the Maryland Police and Corrections Training Commission (MPCTC) to maintain each officer’s State certification.
The Firearms Instruction Detail is comprised of highly-skilled instructors who must maintain expert proficiency in firearms. The Chief Firearms Instructor and his staff provide regular firearms training to all new and veteran officers and to Correctional Officers who carry firearms in the performance of their duties. In addition to the required qualification courses officers must complete annually for the handgun and twice annually for the shotgun and rifle, officers are also trained in tactical scenarios, shooting on the move, shooting behind various types of cover, general marksmanship skills, and various other courses of fire related directly to the performance of duties as a police officer.
People ages 18-21 who want to pursue a career as a CCSO police officer gain invaluable on-the-job experience in the Cadet Program. Cadets perform a variety of duties while learning law enforcement techniques, CCSO policy and procedure, and criminal and traffic law. These duties include traffic direction and enforcement, seatbelt and child safety seat inspections, flagging abandoned vehicles, and truck and school bus safety inspections.