Wappinger Town Lowers Flags to Half Staff In Memory of Dutchess County Sheriff Butch Anderson

The Town of Wappinger is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dutchess County Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson overnight in his sleep. Supervisor Richard L. Thurston has directed flags at the Memorial Plaza in front of Wappinger Town Hall to be lowered to half-staff.
Sheriff Anderson, hailing from his beloved hometown of Pawling, served as Village Mayor from 1983-1991. He entered into the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office on December 1, 1970. Less than a decade later, Butch graduated from the FBI Law Enforcement Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 1977. In 1993, He was appointed Undersheriff in 1993 and was elected Dutchess County Sheriff in 1999, the position he held until his death.
Supervisor Thurston was deeply saddened to hear, early this morning, of the loss of his good friend saying this morning, “May this giant amongst with a heart of gold rest in eternal peace. Gone of this earthly world, but never, never to be forgotten. We miss you Sheriff.”
Butch Anderson was truly a larger than life figure in our community, known as the “modern day John Wayne”, Dutchess County and the Town of Wappinger not only became a safer place to live, but it was a more united and caring community for more than two decades with him at the helm of Sheriff. Under his leadership, the Sheriff’s Office modernized with new technology and communications, the construction of a new Law Enforcement Center and Justice and Transition Center, increased unity amongst law enforcement in the County, the most diverse staff in office history, and much more.
On behalf of Supervisor Richard L. Thurston, Senior Councilman William H. Beale, Councilwoman Angela Bettina, Councilman Christopher Phillips, Councilman Al Casella, Town Clerk Joseph P. Paoloni, Superintendent of Highways Michael J. Sheehan, Town Justice Carl Wolfson, Town Justice Heather Kitchen, County Legislator Joseph D. Cavaccini, County Legislator Lisa Paoloni, and all the officials and employees of the Town of Wappinger; we send our condolences to his wife, Danielle and his children. Butch we will miss you and we thank you for your one of a kind compassion and service to our community.

Sheriff Butch Anderson Addresses the People of the Town of Wappinger - January 2020

Share This Page