CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Dorchester County voters have chosen a new sheriff for the first time in 25 years.
Republican Mark Lewis defeated Democrat Christine Lamonica on Tuesday, winning nearly 64% of the vote. Lewis brings 33 years of law enforcement experience, including five years as Cambridge’s police chief before he retired in 2022.
He will replace Sheriff James Phillips, who has served the county since 2002. Phillips lost to Lewis in Maryland’s primary in June and declined WBOC’s request for an interview. Lewis takes office next month.
Expanding on the foundation
Lewis, who was born and raised in Dorchester County, said he wants residents to know he is committed to the county.
“Law enforcement and public safety has been my entire life,” Lewis said. “And I’m going to bring that same commitment to the sheriff’s office for these next four years.”
Lewis said he does not plan to overhaul the office, and that he will spend his first weeks evaluating how it runs before making changes.
Priorities
Lewis said his priorities are recruitment and retention, putting more deputies on patrol, and adding school resource officers.
The sheriff’s office is currently down nine officers. Lewis said Dorchester County is the largest county by land in Maryland, and the distances are a challenge. He said only two or three deputies may be working the entire county at a given time.
“My goal, if we get manpower up, would be six working a shift, two north, two central, two south,” Lewis said. “That way, the two south deputies could back each other up. That way they're not running 100 miles an hour back and forth all over the county, trying to get to people that are having emergencies. So that's going to be the big thing.”
Lewis said he also wants to address juvenile crime.
“Whether that's going to look like a juvenile crime task force where we have juvenile services, the courts, you know, the schools, everybody involved to try to reach out to some of these juveniles, get to them, the at risk juveniles, before those minor crimes that they're involved with become major crimes and more violent crimes.” Lewis said.
Transparency and outreach
Lewis said he has already met with some of the county’s mayors, including Hurlock’s. He said he plans to hold community meetings in towns and in unincorporated areas to learn residents’ needs.
When asked how he will be held accountable, Lewis said transparency, especially in investigations, will be key. He said a call that seems routine to deputies can feel like a major incident to the people involved.
“Things have changed since I left as chief in 2022, but social media has to be a big part of it,” Lewis said. “The community meetings have to be a big part of it. You just have to be transparent with your investigations because that's the issue. It may seem like a simple call to the deputies that are responding, but for the everyday average citizen, it's a major incident to them, and they want to know what's going on with their cases.”
Lewis also said he plans to make himself available by phone, email, and in person.
Working with Cambridge police
Cambridge Police Chief Justin Todd said he has known Lewis for 25 years. Todd joined the department when Lewis had just made sergeant, worked on his squad and later served as his captain. He became chief when Lewis left.
Todd said the two agencies share priorities, including juveniles and schools.
“I think we both realize the juvenile role is huge,” Todd said. “The school system is huge, having more SROs in the school system.”
Todd said juvenile crime numbers in the city are trending down this year, but the nature of the crimes concerns him, including the guns officers are taking from young people. He also said about 60% of the city’s calls for service last year involved mental health.
“We have to look at that, take a real hard look,” Todd said. “And instead of responding to calls of service over and over again for the same people, are the same families or the same children or the same domestic situation. We need to look at how we can fix that, how we can help give the resources to those people, so we don't have those calls, and they do not have to keep calling the police.”
Lewis told WBOC he is interested in engaging his deputies in a mental health program, similar to the one Chief Todd has established within his department.
“Chief Todd has started the mental health portion, which is a great tool, especially for those officers that see a lot of things normal citizens do not see,” Lewis said. “They see it on a daily basis. So they need to talk to someone to help them through those difficult times. So that's a great program, and I'm looking to try to piggyback with Chief Todd on some of those things.”
In addition, Todd said crime often moves between the city and the county, so city officers and sheriff’s deputies need to work closely together. He said he hopes for joint efforts, including tactical teams and drone units.
Deputies support Cambridge’s police officers through traffic enforcement. Additionally, patrol officers and patrol deputies often support each other when they are responding to a call.
Todd says a smooth transition between sheriffs starts with frequent meetings and open communication, including about where the agencies disagree. He wants every law enforcement agency in the county, including Hurlock’s, at the table, working toward the same purpose despite being separate departments.
Honoring Sheriff Phillips
Todd also commended Phillips’ service. According to the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office website, he was named the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association’s Deputy of the Year in 1981 for his role in solving several homicides that year.”
“I think every citizen, regardless of your feelings, whether you voted for Sheriff Lewis or you voted for Sheriff Phillips or whoever, you cannot take away the dedication and commitment he put into Dorchester County,” Todd said. “And I think it's something to be said for that, especially in today's world, and in the police world today, where we see changes happening so fast, between laws and other things within our communities we serve.”
Lewis said Phillips built a great foundation at the sheriff’s office.
“He's been there a long time,” Lewis said. “We have worked well together. When I was chief, even before I was chief. We've had a great relationship. All I want to do is expand on what he's built. That's it. I don't want to tear anything down. I don't want to do a rebuild. It's just expand on what those other sheriffs have done.”
Lewis will take office next month.
