On April 22, 1696, Colonial Governor Sir Francis Nicholson appointed Thomas Greenfield the first Sheriff of Prince George’s County, which makes the Office of the Sheriff the oldest law enforcement agency in the County. The title of Sheriff is derived from England’s “Shire Reeve,” and is first found in history around the year 992. The “Shire Reeve” was responsible for protecting the King’s land, collecting taxes and enforcing the King’s will (or the law of the land). In the Colonies, the role of the Sheriff evolved into a law enforcement officer whose duties were largely directed by the Courts.