MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE PROUDLY CELEBRATES ITS BICENTENIAL: 1821 - 2021
MCSO Honors the Men and Women Who Have Served and Continue to Serve Our Community with Dedication and Distinction
Rochester, NY (January 5, 2021) – Founded on March 8, 1821, under the leadership of the first appointed Sheriff, Brockport merchant James Seymour, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office proudly celebrates its bicentennial this year. Throughout 2021, MCSO will mark this significant milestone by taking a look back on its collective history and celebrating all that our agency has and continues to accomplish. Over the past 200 years, the Sheriff’s Office has changed with the times to accommodate the needs of the citizens it serves.
From its humble beginnings, to the modern and innovative agency that it is today, under the leadership of Sheriff Todd Baxter, thousands of men and women have chosen this career and served with honor. We are grateful to the dedicated men and women, sworn and civilian staff, who continue to provide safety and security to the citizens of Monroe County.
These honorable employees carry out tasks that others might not undertake. They represent our past, our present and our future, for we are nothing without our people.
We look forward to sharing stories of our rich history throughout the year, as well as highlighting our current and future endeavors, programs and innovative ideas that are on the horizon.
MCSO’s prides itself on its profound history. Here are a few of the accomplishments we are proud of through the years:
In 1864 President Lincoln pardoned an inmate from the Monroe County Jail.
Prior to 1888, the Sheriff performed seven executions of prisoners as ordered by the Court
MCSO provided care and custody to tens of thousands of incarcerated men and women over these 200 years
Our first automobiles were obtained in 1909; motorcycles in 1922
From photography’s first use in 1926, MCSO now uses Iris scanning of inmates who are booked into the jail today
“It is my honor to serve as your Sheriff, especially during this milestone year,” said Monroe County Sheriff Todd K. Baxter. “I would like to thank each and every one of our dedicated deputies and civilian staff members who work diligently to provide protection to the citizens of Monroe County. I am also grateful to those men and women who served before us and laid the foundation for excellence. To our Sheriff’s Foundation, thank you for supporting the mission of the Sheriff’s Office, providing financial support for special Sheriff’s Office projects and equipment that cannot be funded by Monroe County tax dollars alone. It takes a community; One Team.”
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is an accredited agency by the State of New York. Our mission is to meet the law enforcement and corrections needs of our diverse community. From the Police Bureau to the Jail Bureau, Court Security, Civil Bureau and Staff Services Bureau, nearly 1,200 men and women work to protect the community we call ‘home.’ We strive to serve with our Core Values at the heart of everything we do: Respect, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellence. In addition, we often collaborate with our partners in law enforcement, offering our ‘One Team’ philosophy.