06-27-2024 Howard - Flipbook - Page 10
3 THINGS
BY MIKE KLINGAMAN Howard Magazine
Marcus Harris
Howard County sheriff
PHOTO BY BARBARA HADDOCK TAYLOR
Now in his second term as Howard
County sheriff, Marcus Harris is a staunch
advocate of community outreach and a
strong liaison with public schools. A native
of Havre de Grace, he has a degree in
sociology from the University of Maryland
at College Park. A onetime athlete, Harris
lives in Ellicott City with his wife and two
children.
Here are three things you may not know
about Harris, the first Black sheriff in Howard’s history:
Football helped put his life in order.
“Playing [cornerback] at Maryland
taught me how to grind, work hard and deal
with adversity. If not for football, I might
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| Summer 2024 | howardmagazine.com
not have gone to college. We didn’t go to
a bowl game in my two years [8-13-1], but
the experience made for great friendships;
one teammate, [tackle] Larry Webster, later
played for the Ravens and is now a special
police officer here in Howard County.
“Once, while playing on special teams, I
was running downfield against North Carolina and took a blind side hit, which knocked
the ear pads right out of my helmet. Coming
off the field, after the play, I didn’t really
know my name — but I stayed in the game.
Football taught me how to stay focused.”
He likes being Mr. Clean.
“I’m a neat freak; cleaning the house
relaxes me. I do the toilets and shower, and
I do the vacuuming. I was raised by a single
mom who instilled in me how to take care
of myself. My wife loves the fact that I clean
because it means she has a partner.
“I do the laundry, too. I was trained that
light colors go with lights and darks go with
darks. I’m old school — I believe in keeping
everything in order. I keep my [sheriff’s]
badge shiny, too.”
The sheriff enjoys a good smoke.
“Smoking briskets and ribs outside is
peaceful to me. But I’ll only cook for my
family because I don’t want other people
to [judge] the food. I like to smoke things
slowly, up to 10 hours for a large brisket. I
find it very calming.”
