MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — The race for Maricopa County Sheriff is between Democratic candidate Tyler Kamp and Republican candidate Jerry Sheridan.
Previously, Democrat Paul Penzone held the position, but he resigned in 2023. Current Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner took the position in February of 2024 and ran for re-election, but lost the Democratic primary to Kamp.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Resultados de la contienda por el puesto de Alguacil del Condado Maricopa
Kamp conceded the race on "X," formerly known as Twitter, despite the race not being officially called.
Tyler Kamp (D)
Kamp is a fifth-generation Maricopa County resident and has a law enforcement career that spans two decades, according to his campaign website.
He earned his bachelor's degree in administration of justice from Arizona State University and then joined the Phoenix Police Department. During his time at the Phoenix Police Department, he served as shift commander, a gang enforcement sergeant and a homicide detective.
He is involved in “Operation Guardian," which is a collaborative project with local and federal agencies and Arizona State University focused on gang intervention, according to his website.
He also served as the director of investigations and law enforcement development for a non-government organization while relocating his family to West Africa, established a maritime academy for the Ghana Marine Police, and established the first ever Cross Border Human Trafficking Task Force at the Kotoka International Airport, his website states.
Kamp has been married to his wife for 25 years, has four children and serves as an elder and Sunday school teacher at his church.
- wants to use crime analytics to target crimes such as "fentanyl, gun and human traffickers, retail theft and more."
- supports cross-agency collaboration.
- will comply and end the federal court oversight.
Jerry Sheridan (R)
Sheridan was born and raised in Queens, New York, and moved to Arizona when his father retired as a lieutenant, his campaign website said.
Sheridan entered the Maricopa County Sheriff ‘s Office Reserve Deputy Academy in 1977. After graduating from the academy, he worked out of District 1 in the southeastern part of the county.
Throughout his career in law enforcement, Sheridan has served as a detention officer, a deputy sheriff attending the Phoenix Police Academy, a corporal, a lieutenant, a captain, chief of patrol, chief of custody, and chief deputy, according to his campaign website.
During his career in law enforcement is also when he met his wife, Stacie, whom he has been married to for over 30 years. They have two daughters, two grandchildren and a great son-in-law.
- he wants to end drug smuggling.
- aims to take the lead in pooling resources throughout the county to "establish regional centers to help victims of sexual abuse."
- make boosting morale at the sheriff's office a priority.
- supports reintroducing training for sheriff's office employees to identify and deal with those suffering from mental illness.
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Decision 2024
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