"In 1857, Anoka County was a frontier county with main settlements in St. Francis, Anoka and Centerville having a total county population of 2,106 by 1860 with only a Sheriff to provide law enforcement to the entire County.

Today, the Anoka County Sheriff's Office consists of not only the Sheriff but also of a team of approximately 300 staff and volunteers serving 21 urban and rural cities with a growing population of 351,373." - From the Anoka County Sheriff's Office website