Dan Starry, the appointed sheriff in Washington County, announced this week he will campaign for an elected term.
When Bill Hutton retired last spring, he recommended to county commissioners that they appoint Starry, his chief deputy at the time. Starry will fill the position until voters elect him, or someone else, to a four-year term in November 2018.
Starry, 46, has spent his entire career with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, beginning in 1993. He has held every rank, including commander, has been a K-9 officer and participated on the SWAT team. He now is an executive board member for the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program and a member of the Minnesota Violent Crime Coordinated Council, and he serves on the United Way of Washington County East board.
Starry oversees 255 employees, including patrol deputies, jail corrections officers and the 911 communications staff.
He's on leave from his previous job as chief deputy, the No. 2 position in the Sheriff's Office. That job is being filled by Brian Mueller, who's on leave from his previous job as patrol commander.
No other candidates have announced their intent to run for the sheriff's job in Washington County, which has a quarter-million residents.
