History of the Anoka County Sheriff's Office

On June 30, 1857, J.C. Frost was appointed as the first Anoka County Sheriff by the County Board of Commissioners. He served one year. He was defeated in 1858 by Thomas Henderson. Thus began a succession of Sheriffs over the next 165 years.  See the list of Sheriff's to the right.

Deputy Jim Sampson

Historical image of Deputy Jim Sampson and squad car

Since 1857, Anoka County has grown considerably with over 330,000 residents today. The once rural county is part of the seven-county Metropolitan area and is comprised of 21 cities and townships, covering 440 square miles.