Wicomico Sheriff Mike Lewis Shares His Thoughts On Recent Events

As your Sheriff, I want to share my feelings about racism and discrimination in our world in one word, INEXCUSABLE. There is no place for this type of behavior in law enforcement and certainly, this includes the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office. We will not tolerate these actions in our community. We stand on our Core Values of serving our community with Courage, Honor, and Integrity. Our values clearly state and reflect that our deputies WILL treat every person with respect and dignity, and in an unbiased manner, protect the constitutional rights of all persons through the impartial enforcement of the law. Anything less than that will not be tolerated. You deserve that continued promise from me and everyone within my Office. I have enforced this premise since December 6, 2006, my first day in office.

In the past two weeks, Wicomico County has been the site of peaceful assemblies and rallies. I want to thank members of our community for expressing their thoughts and emotions in a positive and productive way while not losing sight of the tragic death of George Floyd. Citizens should never be without a voice, and the men and women of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office and I will always be ready to defend your constitutional rights, without fear of violence. I continue to be proud of our community, the passion and commitment you have all shown to each other and members of this Agency.

Like any person with a heart who watched the video released of the death of George Floyd, I was shocked, angered, frustrated, and deeply concerned by what I saw. Watching a person lose their life is heartbreaking and emotional. As an elected Sheriff who believes in law and order, I believe people who commit violent crimes should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and face stiff penalties. That statement extends to law enforcement officers who commit illegal acts and act outside of their authority. As I have written to many individuals who have inquired since Mr. Floyd’s death, I have trust in the criminal justice system to ensure a thorough review of all the facts and evidence in the case. At this point in the ongoing investigation, the officers in the video have been formally charged and evidence is being collected and analyzed, and statements are being obtained and evaluated in pursuit of justice. The Attorney General for the State of Minnesota who is prosecuting the case has stated this process could take months as these cases normally do.

At the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, we continue to reevaluate police tactics and techniques while ensuring that nationally recognized best practices are integrated into our 21st Century Policing. The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office was one of the first agencies in this entire region to arm patrol deputies with both in-car cameras and Body-Worn Cameras to ensure the highest levels of transparency. You deserve nothing less.

We strive to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteerism to make Wicomico County safer, stronger, and most recently, better prepared to respond to civil disturbances of any kind. Building a resilient community involves multiple sectors and meaningful engagement from every corner of our society.

At a time when many are feeling contrary, I am optimistic about the future of law enforcement and community relations. The level of training, communication, cooperation, and professionalism in our County’s law enforcement arena has never been higher or more inclusive. It is up to all of us to leave this world a better place than it is today, and I believe the conversations and non-violent actions occurring as a result of Mr. Floyd’s tragic death will drive that conversation.

Sheriff Michael A. Lewis