Maryland FOP president exploring run for office in Baltimore County | Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police

Julian Baron

WBFF Fox45

January 17, 2025

TOWSON, Md. (WBFF) — Maryland Fraternal Order of Police President Clyde Boatwright has launched an exploratory committee ahead of a potential run for political office in Baltimore County.

Boatwright, a Democrat and Middle River resident, has spent 22 years working for the Baltimore City School Police and currently serves as president of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police and the Baltimore City School Police Union.

The exploratory committee is primarily evaluating a run for Baltimore County sheriff but is leaving the door open for Boatwright to potentially run for other elected offices in the county. R. Jay Fisher has served as sheriff of Baltimore County since December 2002.

Along with the race for sheriff, the Baltimore County executive and council seats will be up for grabs in 2026.

“Clyde wants to use his problem-solving skills to make Baltimore County safe so communities can thrive in a secure environment,” Boatwright’s campaign website reads. “He understands that the key to strengthening our county is to unite around our most significant challenges and to work together.”

The Baltimore County sheriff, unlike some Maryland jurisdictions, is not responsible for day-to-day policing, which falls under the purview of the Baltimore County Police Department. The Baltimore County police chief is appointed by the county executive.

Boatwright plans to hold a telephone town hall next month to hear feedback from Baltimore County residents and community associations about public safety.

“There are a number of public safety challenges we are facing in Baltimore County, and I want the ability to hear from all residents and stakeholders as we consider the right path forward,” Boatwright told FOX45 News. “We must chart a course for 2026 that reduces crime, ensures our justice system is transparent and fair for all citizens and utilizes the law enforcement resources our county has in the most productive manner possible.”

Boatwright has been a vocal critic of juvenile justice reforms that restrict police officers from interrogating underage suspects, namely the Child Interrogation Protection Act of 2022.

“What is happening is that it stops that juvenile from getting the services that they need because you don’t know what problem they actually have because you can’t talk to them,” Boatwright told FOX45 News’s Mikenzie Frost last year. “But it also stops the victim from getting justice.”

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