Proven Leadership
With over 27 years in law enforcement, all dedicated to serving the people of Washington County, I bring tested, trusted leadership that gets results. This experience, combined with lifelong roots in Washington County, has helped me forge trusted relationships across communities, agencies, and organizations. I’m ready to lead from day one with integrity, vision, and a deep understanding of what it takes to keep our county safe and strong.
Community Focused Service
Trust is earned through presence, transparency, and genuine partnership. As Sheriff, I will be a visible and accessible leader, someone who listens, communicates openly, and works alongside residents, businesses, faith communities, and schools to build safer neighborhoods together. Public safety is strongest when it’s rooted in relationships.
Throughout my career, I’ve prioritized this kind of community connection. While serving as Chief of Police in Stillwater, I led the implementation of a downtown precinct, bringing law enforcement closer to the people we serve and creating a model for responsive, community-specific policing. I will bring that same philosophy countywide, ensuring our Deputies are not just responding to calls, but becoming trusted members of the communities they serve. Every resident deserves to feel seen, heard, and protected by those sworn to serve them.
Mental Health and Substance Use Support
Supporting mental health is essential to public safety. Throughout my career, both at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and now as Chief of Police in Stillwater, I have championed co-response models that pair law enforcement with mental health professionals. These partnerships ensure that individuals in crisis are met with compassion and care, not just enforcement. As Sheriff, I will continue to strengthen these models, expand crisis intervention training for Deputies, and build on relationships with providers to connect people with the support they need.
At the same time, I’ve seen firsthand how substance use continues to devastate families across our communities. As a former Narcotics Detective and Drug Task Force Commander, I know what it takes to disrupt the drug networks that are targeting our neighborhoods. I will lead with a dual approach: enforcement that holds traffickers accountable, and support for proven treatment and recovery services that give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
“Chief Brian Mueller has been the most impactful chief in the history of Stillwater. As much as I’d love for him to stay in Stillwater, our entire community would be better served with Brian as our next Sheriff of Washington County”
— Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski
Reducing Violent Crime
Keeping our communities safe from violent crime will always be a top priority. I will strengthen partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies to share intelligence, disrupt violent offenders, and hold repeat criminals accountable. As a former Investigative Division Commander and SWAT Team Commander, I’ve led teams in high-risk operations and understand what’s required to keep our neighborhoods secure. I will take my experience as the Past Chair of the Violent Crime Coordinating Council (VCCC) which oversees all state violent crime task forces to ensure we are doing everything necessary to make Washington County safe. I will also invest in advanced training and modern investigative tools to ensure our Deputies are equipped to prevent violence, respond decisively, while serving with professionalism and integrity.
Care Within Our Jail
How we treat people in our custody reflects who we are as a community. Jail should not be a dead end, it should be a turning point. During my time at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, I helped initiate efforts to improve mental health services, expand rehabilitation opportunities, and strengthen re-entry planning for individuals in our jail. As Sheriff, I will build on that foundation.