Anne Arundel County sheriff: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide

What’s the job: Duties differ by jurisdiction. In some counties, the sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer. In other jurisdictions, the sheriff is primarily responsible for courtroom security and enforcing court orders, such as evictions. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Everett Sesker

Candidate did not respond to The Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.

Republican

Name: Jim Fredericks

Age: 59

Personal: I am a lifelong Anne Arundel County resident. In my early years I lived in Brooklyn Park and attended Belle Grove Elementary School. My family moved to Severn where I attended Old Mill middle and high schools. I met my wife in high school and we have been married for 38 years. I lived in Pasadena prior to getting married and after our wedding we settled in Millersville. We were members of Pasadena United Methodist Church until moving to Tracys Landing, where we are now members of Friendship UMC. We have 3 adult child who all graduated from Southern High School and Anne Arundel Community College. We have 5 wonderful grandsons between the ages of 1 and 7. I have served as a board member of my church, and on several boards throughout my law enforcement career. I coached cross-country running at Southern High School and served on the Business-Community Advisory Board for 2 years.

Education: Associate of Applied Science - Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice - Anne Arundel Community College

Bachelor of Arts - Labor Studies - National Labor College

Experience: 2023 to Present - I work for a private security company as a Contract Manager. In my position, I work in partnership with the US Marshals Service to provide private security for the federal court system in Washington, DC

2018 to 2022 - I was the elected Sheriff for Anne Arundel County. During that time I fully modernized the sheriff’s office by securing a new 14,000 Square foot facility for field operations, advanced new technologies across the agency, started a first-in-Maryland Safe Surrender program to make warrant service safer for deputies, greatly improved security at the county circuit court, reduced a lingering backlog of open warrants, and created more new deputy positions than sheriffs in the previous 20 years. 1992 to 2018 - I served in the Anne Arundel County police department and retired as a lieutenant upon my election as Sheriff. I served in several critical supervisory and command roles including Robbery, Homicide, Public Relations, Technology, Homeland Security & Intelligence, Gang Investigations, Traffic Safety & Investigations, and Director of Emergency Management. 1984 to 1992 - National Security Agency, working in information security.

Questionnaire

A: The Sheriff’s Office cannot do it’s part to affect public safety without optimizing the staff of sworn deputies within the agency. I plan to seek new partnerships and technology that will strengthen court security and allow for the optimization of deputies. With that, I can concentrate our efforts on serving outstanding warrants and timely service of court orders to improve the safety of our communities.

A: As the county Sheriff from 2018 to 2022, I started multiple programs aimed at improving community relations and providing more transparency to our citizens. I started the Safe Surrender Program, which combined technology, public access to warrant information, and new relationships with the judicial system to make warrant service safer and easier for everyone involved. My office participated in new statistical information sharing with the public through a coordinated countywide effort. I introduced mobile application technology that provides greater access to the office and it’s services, and serves to educate the public about office policies and operations. I reinstituted a sheriff cadet program and I also expanded agency participation in community and school groups, which would continue and expand with my election back to the Sheriff’s Office.

A: As a police officer and the elected Sheriff of the county, I have always enjoyed strong relationships with federal partners at the FBI, DHS, and the US Marshals Service and would continue to foster those relationships. However, voters should understand the difference between counties with both a Sheriff’s Office and a Police Department, and those with only a Sheriff’s Office. Anne Arundel County has both agencies, and as such, the police department conducts all criminal investigations within the county, and obtains it’s own criminal warrants. The AA County Sheriff’s Office is a judicial office, primarily serving civil and criminal court process originating from the circuit court, and is responsible for the physical security of the court. Additionally, the Office of the Sheriff does not run the county detention center, which is under direction of the executive branch of county government. The Sheriff’s Office, by memorandum, holds all warrants and attempts service of warrants that were not served by the police department. With this understanding, the AA County Sheriff’s Office would not have the opportunity to participate in a county 287 G program and the sharing of immigration-based data would be a relationship between the police department and DHS.

A: I am the best candidate for sheriff simply because none of the other candidates can match my combination of experience, level of service and dedication to our county, existing relationships across county government, or proven results as an effective law enforcement leader. I will utilize all of these attributes to not just run the agency, but to position it for future growth and success in its mission to serve our citizens.