Robert Bass, a former NFL football player and Montgomery County deputy sheriff, has filed to run for sheriff in the 2022 Democratic primary.
Bass, 50, attended the University of Miami, where he played football from 1991 to 1994. He then played in the NFL from 1994 to 1996, including stints with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. Miami was co-winner of the national championship with the University of Washington in Bass’ first year on the team.
Bass later worked as director of player development for the Miami Dolphins before moving to Maryland and joining the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in 2008, he told Bethesda Beat on Wednesday. He has worked in the domestic violence and court transportation units.
Bass left the sheriff’s office seven years ago after he started Never Left Alone Security Consulting in 2012, which provides security for establishments such as residential complexes, universities, hotels, jewelry stores, houses of worship and events, among others.
The sheriff’s responsibilities include court security, criminal transportation, issuing criminal warrants, service of process for the county court system, child support enforcement and combatting domestic violence.
Bass, a Silver Spring resident, told Bethesda Beat on Wednesday that he “can no longer sit on the sidelines” when it comes to implementing changes in the department. Areas he wants to improve include officer training implementing de-escalation tactics and a bigger focus on mental health.
“Policing in itself needs better training and leadership. And I feel I can add some leadership and bring that kind of training to Montgomery County,” he said.
Bass added that he thinks Montgomery County could do a better job of outreach when it comes to recruiting officers in the sheriff’s office from within the county.
Three-term Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin announced last month that he will not seek re-election..
Chief Deputy Maxwell Uy filed to run in the Democratic primary on June 8 after Popkin told him he would not run for another term. As of Wednesday afternoon, Uy and Bass were the only two candidates to have filed in the sheriff’s race.
The deadline to file is Feb. 22, 2022. The 2022 primary will be on June 28 and the general election is on Nov. 8.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@moco360.media
