Monday, May 1, 2023

Lt. Sarah Smith Promoted to First Woman Captain in Sheriff's Office

 

Sheriff Steve Hall and Captain Sarah Smith 

Sheriff Steve Hall and the men and women of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office are extremely proud to announce the promotion of Lt. Sarah Smith to Captain, effective May 1, 2023. Capt. Smith becomes the first woman police captain in the history of the agency, dating back to 1637. 

"We're finally here. She did it. We just came along for the ride," Sheriff Hall said on Monday during Capt. Smith's promotion ceremony. 

Smith first came to the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office in 1999 as a high school intern in the criminal justice program. She then joined the St. Mary's Sheriff's Office in February 2005 as a Deputy Sheriff. She worked in the Patrol Division until 2009 when she joined the Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) as a Domestic Violence Coordinator. The next year she became the violent crime/property crime detective within BCI. 

In 2013, Smith went back to the Patrol Division at the rank of Sergeant and became a Lieutenant in 2021. 

"I'm excited for the opportunity," Capt. Smith said. "It's an honor to continue working as the Southern Region Patrol Commander." Capt. Stephen Simonds is the Northern Region Patrol Commander. 

"It doesn't go unsaid that this promotion comes from the hard work of the female supervisors that came before me," Capt. Smith said. 

Sheriff Hall and Sgt. Austin Schultz 

Cpl. Austin Schultz was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on May 1, 2023. Schultz started with the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office in 2007 as a Correctional Officer and became a Deputy Sheriff on April 15, 2011. Sgt. Schultz currently serves in the Criminal Intelligence Unit in the Criminal Investigations Division. 

Congratulations to both of you on your success and professionalism.