Five vie for shot to become Maricopa County sheriff

Maricopa County will have a new permanent sheriff after the November election, no matter who wins.

Former Sheriff Paul Penzone, a Democrat, stepped down in January and Russ Skinner was appointed to the position. Skinner will have competition in the primary, and three others will battle on the Republican side to see who will face off in the general election.

Frank “Mike” Crawford Frank "Mike" Crawford

Frank “Mike” Crawford is looking to bring years of law enforcement experience in New Mexico to a run for Maricopa County Sheriff.

Crawford, a Republican, was born and raised in New Mexico and served as a volunteer firefighter while still in high school. He joined the U.S. Air Force after graduation and served at RAF Mildenhall in England. He was discharged from the Air Force after being struck by lightning while on a Florida air base.

He returned to New Mexico and became a deputy in the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and served in several roles including patrol, special agent in the Drug Enforcement Administration and extradition fugitive deputy.
Between 1997 and 2021 when he retired, he served on the Glendale Police Department.

His issues are to recruit more deputies, bring back the volunteer posses, build budget transparency, stopping frivolous lawsuits and building trust in the community.

Tyler Andrew Kamp

Tyler Andrew Kamp comes from a two-decade career in law enforcement with the Phoenix Police Department and is looking to become Maricopa County’s next sheriff.

A fifth-generation Arizonan, Kamp earned a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University before joining the Phoenix Police Department.

Kamp, running as a Democrat, worked as a shift commander, gang enforcement sergeant and homicide detective during his tenure with Phoenix. For the past year he has served as director of executive protection for Thrive Service Group Inc., a nonprofit organization aimed at eradicating poverty through innovation and creating profitable businesses.

Kamp said his key issues are developing proactive enforcement within MCSO, collaborate with other Valley agencies, keep MCSO properly staffed and work to end federal oversight of the agency.

Frank Milstead

Frank Milstead has been in law enforcement for 35 years including working for the Phoenix Police Department and heading the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

A second-generation Arizonan, Milstead was born and grew up in Phoenix. His career in law enforcement has garnered him the Torch of Liberty award from the Anti-Defamation League and awards from the Rotary 100 Club and the Phoenix Police Department.

Milstead, a Republican, was appointed as head of DPS in 2015 by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey. He retired from the agency in 2020.

Milstead’s platform is focused on combating crime in Maricopa County with issues like migrant crime, fentanyl and human trafficking at the top of his list. He also wants to focus on the office’s leadership and organization, recruitment and training, policy standards and community oversight, and enhanced safety measures.

Jerry Sheridan

Jerry Sheridan comes from a police family and spent several decades working for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheridan, a Republican, was born in Queens, New York, and his father was a New York Police officer. The family moved to Fountain Hills when his father retired in 1976. A year later, Sheridan entered the MCSO Reserve Deputy Academy.

He started with MCSO in 1978 as a detention officer before rising through the ranks before being promoted to chief of patrol by then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 1993. He later become chief of custody in charge of the county’s jails before becoming chief deputy in 2010. He had more than 40 years with MCSO.

Sheridan received a bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University, a master’s degree from Wayland Baptist University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

His issues are ending drug smuggling, addressing mental illness and rebuilding the tent city jails.

Russ Skinner

Russ Skinner is the current Maricopa County sheriff, appointed by the Board of Supervisors in February. He has spent three decades with the organization.

Skinner, a second-generation MCSO deputy, joined MCSO in 1990 and has held a variety of positions throughout the agency, including roles as community education and program coordinator, volunteer services coordinator, and search and rescue coordinator.

Running as a Democrat, Skinner served as chief deputy under previous Sheriff Paul Penzone and switched his party affiliation from Republican last year to be in running for the appointment when Penzone stepped down.

Skinner has an associate’s degree from Phoenix College and is a graduate of Washington High School in Phoenix.