Former DPS Director Submits Candidacy For Maricopa County Sheriff Position

Frank Milstead, who served as the director of Arizona Department of Safety for five years, announced his retirement in 2020 has expressed interest in becoming the next sheriff of Maricopa County.

Last week, he submitted a statement of interest and shared his intentions in a social media post on Wednesday.

Milstead, on X platform, expressed his interest to utilize his previous achievements in leadership in the role of Maricopa County Sheriff.

In February 2015, Milstead was named by Gov. Doug Ducey to serve as the DPS director. In 2020, Milstead retired after a period of five years.

Before joining DPS, Milstead served as the chief of the Mesa Police Department for a period of five years. His career with the Phoenix Police Department spanned 25 years before he took up his position in Mesa.

Milstead’s choice to enter the campaign increases the overall count of sheriffs candidates to eight, according to the official list.

As of now, there are five Republican contenders vying for the position, including Frank Crawford, Jerry Sheridan, Joel Paul Franklin Ellis, and Joe Melone.

The contenders for Maricopa County sheriff from the Democratic party include Tyler Andrew Kamp, Jeffrey Scott Kirkham, and Rus Skinner, who is presently acting as the interim sheriff for the department.