Anne K. Strasdauskas

Anne Strasdauskas, Democrat, was better known as "Sheriff Anne",Fact|date=March 2008 was Sheriff of Baltimore County, Maryland from 1998 until 2002.

History

Anne Katherine Strasdauskas, of Lithuanian decent, was born as a twin sister in Baltimore, Maryland, and was raised in the Baltimore section of Highlandtown. Strasdauskas graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in physical fitness. Strasdauskas was a backup ice skater to the U.S. Olympic Team.

Strasdauskas first worked for Baltimore County Government with the Baltimore County Jail as a Corrections Officer. She was hired by then Sheriff James E. Malone, Sr. By 1990, Strasdauskas made the move to become a Baltimore County Deputy Sheriff. She graduated from the University of Maryland Police Academy in College Park, Maryland. Strasdauskas was a Deputy Sheriff in the Field Operations Bureau until 1994.

Strasdauskas was terminated by then Sheriff Norman M. Pepersack, Jr. in February 1998. Strasdauskas decided to run for Sheriff, and filed on the deadline July 7, 1998. She ran in the Democratic primary with very little money, no name recognition, and help. Handmade signs, and close friends helped her win the primary. Now she faced her old boss in the 1998 General Election.

Strasdauskas was placed on the Democratic Unity Ballot with such names as Dutch Ruppersberger, Ben Cardin, Parris Glendening, and others. She received enough campaign contributions to have professionally made campaign signs made with her slogan, "Fair, Firm, Impartial". The 1998 General Election proved to be a landslide for the Democrats, and Strasdauskas beat Pepersack by less than 6,500 votes.

The Sheriff

Under her stewardship, the Baltimore County Sheriff's Office attained a 20 year retirement plan, newer office equipment, upgrade in firearms, higher training standards, new security scanners, and after September 11, 2001, a new camera observation system was ordered, and was to be installed the following year.

Electoral defeat

Leading up to the primary election in 2002, Strasdauskas faced only a handful of opponents. Charles Cuddy, a Baltimore County Dispatcher, and R. Jay Fisher, a Lieutenant with the Baltimore Police Department. Just days prior to the primary in September 2002, two Prince George's County, Maryland, Sheriff's Deputies were killed during the service of an Emergency Petition Service (EPS). Sergeant James Arnaud and Deputy First Class Elizabeth Magruder were killed in the line of duty. [ [http://wjz.com/local/james.logan.elizabeth.2.432910.html wjz.com - Man Pleads Guilty To Killing 2 Deputies ] ] Strasdauskas required deputies to work court trials rather than allowing them to attend as an Honor Guard unit for the funeralFact|date=February 2007. News had broken out that morning on the "Sean and Frank Morning Show" on WCBM. A few days later, Strasdauskas lost to Fisher by approximately 12,000 votes.

Aftermath

Strasdauskas went back to work for private security. In 2005, she became a Correctional Officer for the Cecil County Sheriff's Office.

External links

* [http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/sheriff/index.html Baltimore County Sheriff's Office homepage]

References