Chief Assistant Sheriff / Staff

Chief Assistant Sheriff
  • Colonel Darrin C. Palmer
The Chief Assistant Sheriff is “second in command” of the Office of the Sheriff, as provided in 2-309, (r) (2) (I) of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Chief Assistant Sheriff is responsible for fulfilling the duties of the Sheriff during periods of his/her absence or incapacitation. The Chief Assistant Sheriff is responsible for the day to day operation of the agency, as well as providing guidance to members of the Command Staff, Office of Policy Compliance, Director of Communications, Inspector General, and the President of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association.
Office of Policy Compliance

Office of Policy Compliance
The Office of Policy Compliance, or Internal Affairs Division, administers the investigation and resolution of all cases of alleged misconduct by agency personnel. This section also maintains all of the agency’s records of complaints against employees and internal investigations.

Inspector General
The Inspector General conducts formal, scheduled inspections of all components of the Office of the Sheriff, and ensures agency compliance with rules, policies, and Equal Employment Opportunity laws.

The Inspector General also resolves any complaints of discrimination and harassment wherever they occur throughout the agency, and ensures that all deputy sheriffs are performing their duties in accordance with the “best practices” of law enforcement.

Communications and Public Affairs
The Communications and Public Affairs Division is responsible for establishing and maintaining a close working relationship with employees of the agency, elected officials, the press, the general public, and community groups. The unit serves as a liaison between the Office of the Sheriff and the public, disseminating important or newsworthy information to the public through media outlets and press releases. The unit is also charged with the duty of handling all requests for the agency’s appearance at all civic, community and governmental events.

This division is responsible for all of the internal and external communications for the Office of the Sheriff and is tasked with managing all news releases and social media updates.

Contact the Communications Office at 301-780-2773 or 301-780-8639, or by email.