What’s the job: Duties differ by jurisdiction. In some counties, the sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer. In other jurisdictions, the sheriff is primarily responsible for courtroom security and enforcing court orders, such as evictions. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Will Milam

Will Milam.
Will Milam. (Friends of Will Milam)

Age: 44

Personal: I am a longtime resident of Poolesville, where my wife and I are raising our two children, both of whom attend Montgomery County Public Schools. Family and community are at the center of my life, and I take pride in being actively involved in the place we call home.

Over the years, I have coached youth sports in the county, which has given me the opportunity to mentor young people, build lasting relationships with families, and contribute to their development both on and off the field. I also dedicate my time to volunteering in support of local organizations and community initiatives whenever possible.Professionally, I have spent more than two decades in public service as a law enforcement officer, serving in roles that emphasized leadership, accountability, and a commitment to others. These experiences have shaped my values and strengthened my dedication to service.Montgomery County is more than where I live, it is where I am deeply invested. Through my family, my work, and my community involvement, I remain committed to making a positive and lasting difference for my neighbors and future generations.

Education: I earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland Global Campus, graduating magna cum laude. I also completed the Police Union Leadership Program at Harvard Law School, where I focused on labor relations and organizational leadership.

In addition to my formal education, I have completed extensive professional training throughout my law enforcement career, including leadership development and command-level coursework. This combination of academic achievement and executive training has supported my advancement into senior leadership roles, and strengthened my ability to manage complex public safety operations and personnel matters.

Experience: I served 22 years in law enforcement with the Calvert County and Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Offices, culminating in my appointment as Chief Assistant Sheriff for Prince George’s County, where I held the position of second-in-command. In this role, I had executive responsibility for the daily operations of a nearly 400-member agency and provided oversight for the bureaus of Administration, Field Operations, Court Services, and Professional Accountability.

I directed agency-wide responses to critical incidents, served as a principal liaison to elected officials and community stakeholders, and played a central role in developing and advancing the Sheriff’s Office legislative agenda. Prior to this role, I served as Assistant Sheriff for the Bureau of Administration, overseeing Budget, Personnel, Training, Special Operations, and Asset Management functions.Earlier in my career, I held assignments as a patrol officer, public information officer, explosives detection canine handler, and was certified by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission as an instructor. I also served as a member of the Maryland Chiefs and Sheriffs’ Association, Prince George’s Police Chiefs Association, and the National Fraternal Order of Police.

Questionnaire

A: My top priority for improving public safety is ensuring the Sheriff’s Office is fully staffed, well-trained, and supported to meet its obligations to the County. Addressing the agency’s staffing challenges will be my primary focus in the first year.

I will begin by rebuilding workplace culture and restoring trust within the organization. This includes eliminating any culture of fear or retaliation by establishing clear expectations for leadership, promoting transparency, and fostering an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and supported. Retention is just as critical as recruitment, and a healthy organizational culture is essential to both.At the same time, I will strengthen recruitment and professional development efforts by expanding training opportunities and pursuing partnerships with institutions of higher education. Investing in our personnel ensures they are prepared, motivated, and equipped to serve the community effectively.As staffing stabilizes, I will advance key public safety initiatives, including establishing a domestic violence intervention division, implementing a specialized response for court-issued psychiatric orders, and developing a youth outreach and mentorship program. These initiatives are designed to address critical needs and build stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community.

A: I would approach the relationship between the Sheriff’s Office and the communities it serves by prioritizing open communication, empathy, respect, and accountability. I recognize that in communities with historically strained relationships with law enforcement, trust must be earned through consistent action, not words.

That begins with strong internal leadership that sets clear expectations for professionalism, reinforces constitutional policing, and holds all employees to the same standards. Every interaction between deputies and the public must reflect fairness, dignity, and consistency.Externally, I would prioritize ongoing community engagement outside of crisis situations. This includes regular interactions where residents can speak directly with leadership, ask questions, and provide input. I would also strengthen transparency by improving how the agency shares information about policies, procedures, and outcomes that impact public trust.Finally, I would invest in community-based initiatives focused on prevention and partnership, including youth mentorship and collaboration with community stakeholders. Building trust requires presence, consistency, and a sustained commitment to serving all communities with dignity and fairness.My goal is to ensure the Sheriff’s Office serves all communities fairly while actively working to rebuild and maintain trust where it has been damaged.

A: I will ensure that the Office follows the law with respect to any requests from federal agencies to cooperate on immigration matters. The Maryland General Assembly was clear during the 2026 legislative session in establishing limits on the role of local law enforcement in federal immigration enforcement. As an elected Sheriff, it is my responsibility to uphold and faithfully execute those laws as written.

As it relates specifically to immigration enforcement, I recognize the importance of maintaining public trust in all communities we serve. In Montgomery County, those policy decisions reflect a broader understanding that effective local policing depends on cooperation from all residents, regardless of immigration status, and that trust can be undermined when local law enforcement is perceived as an extension of federal immigration enforcement.Accordingly, my approach will be to comply fully with applicable state law, while ensuring that Sheriff’s Office resources remain focused on core public safety responsibilities. We will not engage in activities that exceed our legal authority or undermine community trust. This approach ensures that we respect the law, support legitimate public safety partnerships, and maintain the trust of the diverse communities we are sworn to serve.

A: I bring the experience, leadership, and vision needed to lead the Sheriff’s Office at a critical time. With more than two decades in law enforcement, culminating in executive leadership roles, I have firsthand experience managing complex operations, guiding personnel, and addressing challenges that directly impact public safety and organizational performance.

A top priority of my campaign is addressing the staffing crisis and rebuilding workplace culture within the Sheriff’s Office. Sustainable public safety depends on recruitment and retention, which requires restoring trust, improving morale, and ensuring employees feel supported, valued, and professionally developed.I also bring a forward-looking vision for the agency. This includes strengthening our response to domestic violence, improving our service of court-issued psychiatric orders, and expanding youth engagement and mentorship to help prevent future involvement in the criminal justice system.I am honored to have earned the support of Deputy Sheriffs, Police Officers, Firefighters, and respected leaders such as former County Executive Ike Leggett, former Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, and former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, along with other current and former elected officials who share my commitment to effective public safety leadership.I am committed to leading a fully staffed, well-trained, and community-focused Sheriff’s Office.

Name: Maxwell Cornelius Uy

Maxwell Cornelius Uy.
Maxwell Cornelius Uy. (3rd Act Images)

Age: 53

Personal: While I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have resided in Montgomery County since 1994, choosing to live in the jurisdiction that I work and where I can invest in the communities I serve. We have raised our (now adult) children in Montgomery County and both have attended and graduated from the Montgomery County Public School system. Additionally, my wife is a long-time teacher, and current librarian, at a private school in Montgomery County. We both periodically volunteer with local groups to address food insecurity needs of our residents. I am running for re-election as Sheriff to ensure that I continue to make a positive impact on the community that we love and cherish.

Education: I enlisted in the active-duty U.S. Army at the age of 17 after my High School graduation and followed a non-traditional education route, completing course work at Frederick Community College while employed at the Sheriff’s Office and obtaining several professional instructor certifications through the Maryland Correctional Training and Standards Commissions to include Academic, Defensive Tactics, Firearms, Electronic Control Device and Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor. Additionally, I have taught International Association of Chiefs Police (IACP) Leadership in Police Organizations as an adjunct instructor for many years at the Montgomery County Public Safety (Police) Training Academy. This training focused on behavioral science concepts and theories uniquely tailored to the law enforcement environment by addressing the individual, group and organization.

Experience: As the 62nd Montgomery County Sheriff, and the first Asian-American to hold this position, I feel I am uniquely qualified to serve as Sheriff. Since June 1994, I have served in every Division within the Sheriff’s Office - the Administrative Services, Civil & Criminal, Court Services, and Family Divisions - either as a deputy or as a supervisor. I spent many years as an instructor having been assigned to the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy, where I trained both police officers and deputies. Additionally, I have performed numerous adjunct assignments within the Sheriff’s Office including Hostage Negotiator Team, Firearms Task Force, Crisis Intervention Team and Special Events Response Team. Additionally, I was assigned to the Emergency Management Group to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to being elected in 2022, I served as Chief Deputy for the former Sheriff where I managed the daily operations of the entire Sheriff Office. I maintain active membership in both the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association, where I currently serve as a Vice President. I am also an active member of the Maryland Chiefs / Sheriffs legislative committee, providing feedback on legislation matters.

Questionnaire

A: As the current Montgomery County Sheriff, I recognized that staffing challenges – that continue to impact virtually every law enforcement agency nationwide - could affect how we could provide services to our residents and stakeholders. With attrition due to many scheduled retirements, coupled with deficits in recruiting numbers, I focused on restructuring the Sheriff’s Office to best serve the residents of Montgomery County. Under my leadership we expanded our recruitment team, created specialized recruitment vehicles, attended both traditional and non-traditional recruiting events and reimagined our overall recruiting strategies. We have also increased efficiency by “civilianizing” those functions within the Sheriff’s Office that need not be performed by sworn deputies to free up those deputies in the field. In my second term, I will focus not only on how we can address current vacancies but will look to advance our use of technology and recordkeeping to improve the effectiveness of existing staff to better serve our residents. Whether we are providing a safe environment in our Courthouse, serving civil processes, apprehending wanted subjects, executing court orders or supporting survivors of domestic violence, I am committed to ensuring the Sheriff’s Office remains a model, professional law enforcement agency.

A: As the current Montgomery County Sheriff, and the first Asian-American to hold this position, I am keenly aware that our black and brown residents have historically experienced strained relationships with members of law enforcement. Throughout my nearly 32-year career in the Sheriff’s Office and as the current Sheriff, I have emphasized that our deputies should be engaged, approachable and treat all our residents with dignity and respect. I prioritize community engagement and am exceedingly proud to have hired deputies and non-sworn employees that reflect the wonderfully diverse population that is Montgomery County. When re-elected, I will ensure we continue to engage with our historically marginalized communities within Montgomery County.

A: As the current Montgomery County Sheriff, I have consistently messaged to my deputies and the community that the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office does not engage in immigration enforcement. I recognize that our immigrant communities are more likely to be the victims of criminal activity and I am committed to ensuring a mutual trust between members of law enforcement and the communities we serve. As a longtime member of the Montgomery County Latino liaison committee, I have fostered relationships with stakeholders to address community needs to include mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence. Additionally, recent local and Maryland legislation clearly prohibits engaging in immigration enforcement actions. In my second term, I will ensure we maintain these policies to serve our residents regardless of immigrations status, while still providing law enforcement services and arresting violent offenders in our communities.

A: As the current Montgomery County Sheriff, with over 31 years of experience in the Sheriff’s Office, I have demonstrated proven leadership and remain committed to ensuring that the residents of Montgomery County continue to receive the best possible law enforcement services. As the first Asian-American elected Sheriff, I believe that I have a unique perspective to ensure we maintain trust with our increasingly diverse population of over 1.1 million residents, especially those members of our immigrant communities. As an active-duty military veteran, I fully recognize what service means and am committed to continuing to serve the residents of Montgomery County. Additionally, considering these challenging times, with concerns over immigration enforcement tactics, safety in our court system, uncertainties of an economy in transition that may lead to an increase in evictions, emerging school safety concerns, increasing instances of people in crisis and domestic violence related issues, I have a proven track record of steady leadership to the residents of Montgomery County. I have worked hard to develop positive relationships with our public safety agency leadership, elected and community leaders and am willing to push back on special interest groups for what is best for our county’s residents.