CAMBRIDGE — Two candidates are seeking the office of Dorchester County sheriff in November. Republican Mark Lewis defeated incumbent Jimmy Phillips in the June primary and will face Democrat Christine LaMonica in the general election.Minor edits have been made for AP style, clarity and consistency while preserving the candidates’ responses.Christine LaMonica — Democrat
Christine LaMonica is running for Dorchester County Sheriff as a Democrat in the 2026 general election.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTINE LAMONICA
Christine LaMonica, 57, has seven children and one grandchild. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in social work. LaMonica serves as a deputy first class with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and represents District 3 on the Dorchester County Board of Education.Dorchester County spans a lot of ground for one agency to patrol. What specific staffing or deployment plan would you put in place to improve response times across the county, and what would it cost?Covering a large county requires balancing response times, call volume and available staffing. While recruitment and retention remain priorities, we need practical solutions we can manage now. My plan is to use existing substations and community buildings to periodically position deputies closer to rural residents, increasing visibility, access and community connection. Aerial technology can cover large areas quickly when time is critical, while mutual aid partnerships and alternative reporting can keep deputies available when needed most. I will first determine what can be accomplished within the existing budget, then evaluate actual costs and grant opportunities for additional needs.Given recent incidents of violence at county schools, what specific policy or program would you implement in your first six months to change how the sheriff’s office handles school safety?As a school resource officer, board member and mother of high school students, I bring a balanced perspective to school safety. In my first six months, I would establish a school safety policy centered on prevention, education, building safety, threat reporting and community partnerships. Violence prevention is a collaborative community effort. I would prioritize school resource officer coverage in schools without one, with the goal of expanded coverage by the beginning of the next school year. As sheriff, I will remain proactive and connected to our schools, working with educators, families and community partners to strengthen safety and reduce youth violence.What in your professional background most directly prepares you to run a countywide law enforcement agency, and what’s the biggest gap you’d need to close once in office?My law enforcement, administrative and educational experience provides a strong foundation for leadership. Serving on the Board of Education strengthens my understanding of budgets, governance and collaborative decision-making. Connecting with people, building relationships and earning community trust shapes how I lead. As a current deputy, I know this agency from within. My biggest transition will be viewing the organization from the sheriff’s seat. I will approach it with humility and a fresh perspective, recognizing change is not easy. I will listen to deputies and staff, assess what works and where improvement is needed, and lead with transparency, fairness and accountability.How do you plan to address the rise in juvenile crime and crimes that are allegedly retaliatory in nature, like the murder of 5-year-old Na’Ryah Adams?I sat with this question the longest because no family should experience such unimaginable grief and loss. Those who commit violent crimes must be held accountable and our community protected, but enforcement alone will not reduce violence. Prevention requires a coordinated community response. My approach combines accountability, prevention and intervention through partnerships with schools, social services and community organizations. Together, we can identify youth at risk and intervene before violence escalates. As sheriff, I would bring these groups together and build a local approach combining focused enforcement, prevention education, outreach and services to reduce violence and strengthen community safety.What would you do differently when it comes to public reporting on incidents, use of force or community complaints? Would you commit to any specific transparency practices the office doesn’t currently follow?Communication is essential with the community and within the sheriff’s office. I will commit to timely public communication following significant incidents and complaints while respecting active investigations and due process. When information cannot be released, we should communicate that clearly and explain why. I would strengthen communication through an updated website, social media and quarterly opportunities for residents to meet with sheriff’s office staff. When mistakes happen, leadership must acknowledge them, take responsibility and learn from them. I will review current reporting practices, listen to community concerns and identify where we can improve transparency, accessibility and public reporting.Mark Lewis — Republican
Mark Lewis is running for Dorchester County Sheriff as a Republican in the 2026 general election.
Photo courtesy of Mark Lewis
Mark K. Lewis, 59, and his wife, Carla, have two sons, Tyler and Landon. He earned a criminal justice certificate from the University of Virginia, graduated from Session 233 of the FBI National Academy and attended the Wor-Wic Tech law enforcement and corrections programs. Lewis is a retired Cambridge police chief and owns Lewis Security Services.Dorchester County spans a lot of ground for one agency to patrol. What specific staffing or deployment plan would you put in place to improve response times across the county, and what would it cost?Dorchester County needs more deputies patrolling areas in the county. My goal is to have six deputies on each shift: two north, two central and two south. By doing this, the deputies in each pair could back each other up, which would improve travel and response times. We would also utilize the Maryland State Police, a valuable partner, to help improve coverage and response times. We would also rely on our other law enforcement partners, such as the Cambridge and Hurlock police departments. The sheriff’s office currently has nine vacancies. With those vacancies already funded in the sheriff’s budget, the cost should be minimal.Given recent incidents of violence at county schools, what specific policy or program would you implement in your first six months to change how the sheriff’s office handles school safety?Within the first six months, I would work closely with the school system and the Cambridge and Hurlock police departments to establish a school safety plan. We would review each school’s emergency response procedures, conduct joint training and identify schools currently without school resource officers. My goal would be to have a school resource officer in each county school, but until we can staff those positions, I would use patrol visits and seek grant funding for additional school coverage. I would also rely on our other law enforcement agencies to help cover the schools in their jurisdictions.What in your professional background most directly prepares you to run a countywide law enforcement agency, and what’s the biggest gap you’d need to close once in office?My 33 years with the Cambridge Police Department, including five years as police chief, have prepared me for this position. I have led officers at every level, managed budgets, training and grants, and held overall responsibility for the agency’s day-to-day police operations. The most important issue, if elected, is improving morale and recruiting and hiring the officers needed to efficiently and effectively cover this county.How do you plan to address the rise in juvenile crime and crimes that are allegedly retaliatory in nature, like the murder of 5-year-old Na’Ryah Adams?The killing of Na’Ryah Adams is heartbreaking, and addressing the rise in juvenile crime requires both prevention and accountability. I would work with schools, families, community groups, allied police agencies, Juvenile Services and the state’s attorney to identify juveniles who are at risk and try to connect them and their families with support before violence occurs. However, when crimes do occur, we need to investigate them thoroughly and prosecute the offenders appropriately. We must also support victims, witnesses and families so fear and unanswered questions do not lead to further violence.What would you do differently when it comes to public reporting on incidents, use of force or community complaints? Would you commit to any specific transparency practices the office doesn’t currently follow?I would review the current reporting practices and policies. I would have to identify why any information is late coming out, hard to find or incomplete. I would commit to transparency and would release regular public reports on calls for service, use of force and citizen complaints. These reports would give the community clear, consistent updates.
——————————————————–
Click Here For The Original Source.
.........................
