On Wednesday, union leaders announced a vote of no confidence in Montgomery County Sheriff Maxwell Uy, saying his management has left morale at an all-time low.
Meanwhile, Uy says the allegations have no merit.
“Sheriff Uy has taken what was once a respected law enforcement agency and run it off the road,” said Gino Renne, president of UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, which represents Sheriff’s Office employees. During a press conference inside the Executive Office Building in Rockville, Renne said more than 30 experienced deputies and staff have left the department since Uy took office — “deputies aren’t leaving law enforcement, they’re leaving Sheriff Uy.”
The union cited anonymous claims from Sheriff’s Office employees including allegations of safety concerns due to training being denied, not being paid overtime, harassment through micromanagement, and “expectations for deputies to work like horses” 60+ hours a week and still being subjected to criticism.
The union claims the staffing issues in the Sheriff’s Office are not due to natural attrition. But rather the attrition is a sign of leadership failure. Renne said courthouse security is understaffed, and domestic violence victims are being left vulnerable.
One anonymous claim cited by the union stated, “I quit the Sheriff’s Office after being threatened with removal from my unit, denied opportunities, and retaliated against when I took leave to care for a dying family member.”
Sheriff Uy Responds
Uy, a Democrat, was elected Sheriff in 2022.
Uy told MCM that the charges against him do not come as a surprise, adding, “I think the allegations do not have merit.”
There were situations where there was miscommunication, Uy said, “and that is something I am trying to prioritize throughout the ranks.”
Uy acknowledged having “significant disagreement over the past year, much due to staffing challenges.”
There is roughly a 20% vacancy rate in the Sheriff’s Department, according to Uy, some of which he attributed to retirements. He said three sheriffs left to work for the county police. Due to staffing challenges, Uy said he “made the difficult decision on how to reallocate” personnel, sending some sheriffs who worked in the domestic violence section to the courthouse.
“I know that has caused some stress,” he said.
He urged residents to “judge us by how we are doing,” when it comes to keeping everyone safe in the courthouse, carrying out protective orders and the apprehension of wanted people.
“I am committed to gearing our staffing up and best serving our community,” he said.
Uy said he was a union member and continues to support labor unions. However, he said, he believes the union is speaking out in an effort to back his election opponent Will Milam, a Poolesville resident who announced his candidacy for sheriff earlier this month.
