Howard County Sheriff Marcus Harris is ready for another four years at the helm. Harris, the first Black sheriff in county history, has officially filed to run for a third term in 2026, saying his work is far from finished.
Since his first election in 2018, Harris has focused on modernizing the sheriff’s office, increasing staffing from 52 to 74 deputies, improving training, and building stronger partnerships with county and federal law enforcement agencies. He’s also pushed to expand community outreach, launching food drives, school partnerships, and backpack programs to strengthen ties with residents.
One of Harris’s biggest ongoing projects is leading the office through the CALEA accreditation process — a nationally recognized benchmark for law enforcement excellence. It’s a two- to four-year undertaking, and Harris says he wants to see it through.
The sheriff’s office handles courthouse security, prisoner transport, domestic abuse cases, and warrant service, and Harris has worked to raise public awareness of the office’s broader role.
Harris says he’s motivated by strong support from deputies, staff, and the community. With no announced challengers yet, he’s already looking ahead to the next term. “Sky’s the limit,” he said. “We’ve done great work, but there’s still more to do.”
