Keith Runk

REPUBLICAN Sheriff - Harford

JURISDICTION

Harford County

OFFICE LEVEL

County

CONTACT

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// CAMPAIGN & CONTACT

RunkforSheriff@gmail.com

// TLDR

HIGH

Keith Runk, a Republican candidate for Harford County Sheriff, brings over 35 years of law enforcement experience, including service with the U.S. Secret Service and as a Maryland State Police Lieutenant. His platform emphasizes community safety, transparency, and depoliticizing the Sheriff’s Office. Notably, Runk aims to address the opioid crisis, enhance school safety, and improve deputy recruitment and retention.

⛓ 3 SOURCES

[1] Former Secret Service officer launches bid for Harford sheriff — "Runk, a father of five, has been in law enforcement for over 35 years, dating back to when he joined the Ocean City Police Department as ..." PRIMARY

[2] Home | Runk For Sheriff — "My relentless passion for ethical policing is what inspired me to run for Harford County Sheriff." PRIMARY

[3] Sheriff Profiles — "Keith Runk is a dedicated public servant, decorated law enforcement professional, family man, and lifelong Harford County resident ready ..." PRIMARY

// BIO

HIGH

Keith Runk

Born: Not publicly available

Hometown: Bel Air, Maryland

Profession: [“Law Enforcement Officer”, “Sheriff Candidate”]

Education: Towson State University (now Towson University) – Division I lacrosse player

Prior offices: Lieutenant, Maryland State Police, Commander, Maryland State Police Special Tactical Assault Team Element (STATE Team / SWAT)

⛓ 5 SOURCES

[1] Sheriff Profiles — "Keith Runk is a dedicated public servant, decorated law enforcement professional, family man, and lifelong Harford County resident ready ..." PRIMARY

[2] Former Secret Service officer launches bid for Harford sheriff — "Runk, a father of five, has been in law enforcement for over 35 years, dating back to when he joined the Ocean City Police Department as ..." PRIMARY

[3] Keith Runk for Sheriff in Harford, Maryland | Civoren — "Keith Runk is a candidate for Sheriff Primary Election in 2026 in Harford, Maryland. Running as Republican." PRIMARY

[4] Former Secret Service officer launches bid for Harford sheriff — "Runk, pointing to tensions between Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler and County Executive Bob Cassilly over the past three years, sai..." PRIMARY

[5] Home | Runk For Sheriff 1 — "While the Sheriff is an elected role, public safety must remain focused on service, not politics. Keith Runk is committed to professional..." PRIMARY

// POLICY POSITIONS

MEDIUM

Community Safety & Engagement: Emphasizes strong outreach, school safety programs, and partnerships with state police, fire/EMS, schools, and federal partners, including 287(g) immigration enforcement.

Transparency & Accountability: Advocates for open operations, honest crime statistics, and oversight of the detention center.

Deputy & Officer Support: Focuses on safety, recruitment, retention, and morale of deputies and officers.

Policing Over Politics: Aims to end infighting and drama, emphasizing that the role is to be a policeman, not to engage deeply in politics.

Drug Epidemic & Opioid Crisis: Addresses the growing drug epidemic and opioid crisis in the county.

⛓ 1 SOURCE

[1] Home | Runk For Sheriff 1 — "Community safety engagement and outreach; School and youth safety; Collaboration with other agencies—effective partnerships with state po..." PRIMARY

// VOTING RECORD

LOW UNVERIFIABLE

This section could not be verified and is not available.

// CAMPAIGN FINANCE

MEDIUM

As of: 2026-06-18

⛓ 4 SOURCES

[1] Runk For Sheriff Official Campaign Website — "Keith Runk is committed to professional policing, transparency, and community trust, ensuring decisions are driven by what keeps our comm..." PRIMARY

[2] Sheriff Profiles - Harford County — "Keith Runk is a dedicated public servant, decorated law enforcement professional, family man, and lifelong Harford County resident ready ..." PRIMARY

[3] Maryland Campaign Finance Database (unavailable) — "The campaign finance database can be used to review information about campaign committees, filed reports, and contributions and expenditu..." PRIMARY

[4] Campaign Finance Database — "Search the database to find information about contributions to candidates and campaigns in Maryland, and expenditures made by candidates ..." PRIMARY

// ENDORSEMENTS

LOW UNVERIFIABLE

This section could not be verified and is not available.

// DISCLAIMER

This candidate profile was generated using AI-assisted research and is not official ballot information. While we strive for accuracy and verify all cited sources, errors may occur. Always consult official election resources at elections.maryland.gov for authoritative information.

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