Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis released a statement regarding running for re-election.
The letter from Sheriff Schulteis is below:
To the Constituents of Washington County,
Serving the residents of Washington County as your Sheriff has been the honor of my career. Together with the dedicated men and women of the Sheriff’s Office, we have made significant progress in strengthening public safety, supporting our personnel, and responsibly preparing our agency for the future.
With gratitude and humility, I am proud to announce my candidacy for re-election as Sheriff of Washington County.
Over the past two terms, our focus has been clear: to build a modern, professional, and compassionate Sheriff’s Office—one that meets today’s challenges while planning responsibly for tomorrow. This approach is grounded in a leadership philosophy I personally share with every employee before they undertake the responsibility of serving our great county:
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring a safe and secure community by fostering trust through strong partnerships, proactively reducing crime and recidivism, minimizing victimization, and enhancing quality of life—all while upholding and protecting constitutional rights.
These are not merely words; they represent a promise and an obligation our staff strives to fulfill every day. I am deeply grateful for the professionalism, dedication, and integrity demonstrated by our staff.
In my previous campaigns, I pledged that public safety would remain my highest priority by strengthening your Sheriff’s Office while safeguarding individual rights. During my time as Sheriff, we have delivered on that commitment through meaningful initiatives and measurable accomplishments, including:
- Launching the Crisis Response Unit (CRU), pairing clinical social workers with deputies to provide solution-focused crisis intervention and mental health outreach
- Implementing body-worn cameras to strengthen accountability, transparency, and public trust—affirming the professionalism already demonstrated by our staff
- Establishing a Peer Support Team and Chaplain Program to support our personnel
- Expanding specialized response capabilities, including Special Response Team (SRT) operations in the Jail and Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) integration within our multi-jurisdictional tactical team
- Creating an Honor Guard Unit that reflects pride, tradition, and respect
- Implementing the Rapid Response Take-Home Squad Program for deputies residing in Washington County to improve response times and visibility
- Enhancing efficiency and coordination by providing consolidated 911 emergency dispatching services to 77% of county residents and implementing Enhanced 911 services countywide
- Introducing Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Jail, addressing substance use disorder as both a public health and public safety concern
- Expanding the Drug Unit to include municipal partners, strengthening regional collaboration
- Modernizing the countywide radio system for all public safety agencies
- Supporting municipalities with cost-effective contract policing that shares resources and maximizes economies of scale
- Expanding K9 capabilities in both patrol and correctional operations
- Reducing taxpayer liability through strategic interagency agreements that strengthen effective federal law enforcement partnerships
- Creating the county’s first multi-jurisdictional crowd management unit (Mobile Field Force), designed to provide rapid, professional responses to planned and unplanned events while protecting public safety and First Amendment rights
These initiatives reflect a balanced and responsible approach to public safety—one that values enforcement, prevention, treatment, transparency, and the well-being of both our community and our employees.
None of this progress would be possible without the dedication of our staff, the collaboration of our public safety partners, and the continued support of the residents of Washington County. While I am proud of what we have accomplished together, there is still more work to be done.
I remain committed to building on this progress, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring the Washington County Sheriff’s Office continues to be a trusted, professional, and forward-thinking agency. I respectfully ask for your support and your vote as I seek re-election.
