Dutchess County Leaders Remember the Life of Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson

It was with profound sadness and a heavy heart that Undersheriff Kirk Imperati announced that Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson had passed away at his home in the Village of Pawling Wednesday morning. Undersheriff Imperati said, “We are all deeply saddened by the passing of Sheriff Anderson. This is a tremendous loss for all of us. Sheriff Anderson faithfully served Dutchess County for over fifty years and dedicated his life to serving and helping others. Sheriff Anderson’s strong leadership and deep compassion for people made the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office a leading law enforcement agency in this state.” Undersheriff Imperati added, “I have always had the deepest respect and admiration for the Sheriff, and I was honored and proud to serve by his side each day. The Sheriff was not only a mentor and a close friend, but hewas like a second father to me. We lost a great man today. He will be greatly missed by the members and staff of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and all the people throughout Dutchess County who have been positively impacted by his kindness, care, and generosity over the years. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Sheriff’s wife Danielle and his children as they grieve their loss.”

Sheriff Anderson began his career in law enforcement when he was appointed Deputy Sheriff with the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office in 1970. After working primarily in the Harlem Valley area of Dutchess County, Sheriff Anderson proved himself as a leader in law enforcement and was subsequently promoted to Detective and assigned to the Major Case Squad. As a result, Sheriff Anderson was able to show his abilities and persistence by bringing numerous robbery and murder investigations to successful conclusions. Sheriff Anderson continued to excel in this field and became a police instructor. In 1977, Sheriff Anderson’s career came to its pinnacle when he attended and graduated from the 110th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. During his career, Sheriff Anderson has been
awarded numerous citations for in the line of duty accomplishments. In 1993, Sheriff Anderson was appointed Undersheriff and was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Law Enforcement and Correctional Division at the Sheriff’s Office. In 1999, Sheriff Anderson was elected as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for Dutchess County, when he became the Sheriff of Dutchess County. Sheriff Anderson successfully completed his first four-year term of office and won re-election as Sheriff in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019.

Born and raised in Pawling, NY, Sheriff Anderson was a lifelong resident of Dutchess County. He graduated from Pawling High School and in 2014 was inducted into the Pawling High School Hall of Fame for football, baseball, and basketball. In addition to his law enforcement service, Sheriff Anderson served as the Mayor of the Village of Pawling for eight years. He was extremely active in the community, serving on numerous boards and as a member of many community organizations, notably he was the founding Board Member and Executive Director of the Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation with the mission of raising funds to support the children living in the community who are afflicted with cancer and other life-threatening diseases by improving the quality of life for them and their family as they battle these devastating diseases. Sheriff Anderson’s devotion to the community was renowned. He was honored by multiple organizations over the years for his charitable work and community service. Sheriff Anderson’s wife, Danielle Anderson said, “It has been an honor to be married to Sheriff Butch Anderson and the 300,000 residents of Dutchess County. He was a tremendous husband, father, and friend to all. Our family appreciates the outpouring of support from everyone as we grieve our loss.”

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro mourned the passing of Sheriff Anderson, saying, “Today we have lost an extraordinary public servant with the passing of Dutchess County Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson. Butch devoted his entire life to protecting and serving the community he loved so dearly. Throughout his life, he was true leader – in law enforcement, in elected office, and in service to community organizations. His call to serve ensured the safety of our community for more than 50 years and made a measurable difference in the lives of countless children, families, and residents. Our hearts are broken today, and we send our deepest condolences to Sheriff Anderson’s family, including his wife Danielle and his children – you are in our prayers and in our hearts. He was my friend, a mentor and I loved him like an uncle. Butch Anderson was truly ‘second to none’ and we will honor him by following his example and his only ask of all of us, ‘treat others the way you want to be treated.”

County Executive Molinaro ordered that flags at all Dutchess County facilities be flown at half-staff and the County Office Building be illuminated in blue lights in honor of Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson.