Police Units Endorse 3 Challengers To Sheriffs

The local chapters of the Fraternal Order of Police have endorsed the challengers to the sheriffs in Charles, St. Mary's and Calvert counties for the Nov. 7 general election.

In St. Mary's County, Republican sheriff candidate Tim Cameron won the backing of more than the 60 percent required to receive the official endorsement of the 143 active and retired police officers in the FOP lodge last week. The announcement turned up the heat in what was one of Southern Maryland's most hotly contested county races.

"With the exception of Dyson-McKay, this is the most intense race going on," said St. Mary's College of Maryland political science professor Zach P. Messitte, comparing the state Senate campaign in the district that covers St. Mary's County to the contest between Cameron and Democratic Sheriff David D. Zylak. "People know the issues and are following everything that's going on."

Two days before the St. Mary's FOP vote, the Calvert County Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Democrat Joseph C. McKenny over Republican Sheriff Mike Evans. McKenny has pointed to a 19.6 percent rise in crime in Calvert in 2005 as the main reason to elect a new sheriff.

In Charles County, the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Rex W. Coffey, the Democratic challenger to three-term Sheriff Frederick E. Davis.

St. Mary's FOP President Frank Marquart said Zylak hurt his standing with the rank-and-file officers when he told a packed house in a debate at St. Mary's College that his top priority was accreditation for the department. Cameron answered the same question about his priorities for the agency by focusing on county residents' quality of life.

"If accreditation is your biggest priority, what about the citizens of your county, the people that you lead?" Marquart said. "Cameron takes care of his people first."

Zylak said this week that the focus of his campaign is not on seeking endorsements but on proving himself to ordinary voters. Since narrowly defeating Kevin D. Somerville in the Democratic primary last month, he has concentrated on talking to people in areas of the county where he did not fare well, he said.

"I've been here for four years, I have a record, and I'm proud of that record," he said. "And I have a lot left to offer."

But Cameron, a 25-year veteran of the sheriff's office who is director of the county's Department of Public Safety, said earning the endorsement of his peers shows him that St. Mary's is ready for a new sheriff.

"I can't emphasize enough how important it is to me to know that I have the support from police agencies, them saying, 'This is who we want to guide us,' " he said.

Their views on staff morale also may have separated Zylak and Cameron among FOP members. Marquart said that in candidate interviews, Zylak had said morale is not a problem among officers. In contrast, Cameron said that morale is low and that the culture of the department must change from the top.