By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
With the 2026 general election roughly six weeks away, primary voters have already settled most local races by choosing the top Democratic nominees. However, one key seat remains up for grabs as sitting Democrat Sheriff James Maiorano III defends his position against Republican challenger and former deputy Jeremy Shirley.
Maiorano is campaigning for a second term leading the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, while Shirley hopes to unseat his former boss.
Shirley brings 15 years of law enforcement experience to the race, including a decade with the Gallup Police Department and five years with the MCSO, where he rose to the rank of patrol sergeant. Although he stepped away from the department last November following severe job-related trauma—including a friend’s death and an accidental near-fatal fentanyl exposure—Shirley insists he is ready to return to public service.
“I want to jump back into it because I feel like I’m not done,” Shirley said. “I want to help my community still.”
If elected, Shirley plans to prioritize inter-agency collaboration by uniting the MCSO, the GPD, the Navajo Nation Police Department, and the Zuni Pueblo Police Department.
McKinley County currently struggles with “patchwork jurisdiction,” a complex overlap of tribal, local, and county boundaries that often blurs investigating authorities. Shirley aims to streamline these multi-agency operations, starting with joint efforts such as inviting GPD officers to participate in MCSO’s D.A.R.E. program.
Despite Shirley’s proposals, Maiorano points to his own proven track record of regional coordination and community outreach.
Maiorano originally introduced the D.A.R.E. initiative to McKinley County. Over the past four semesters, his deputies have taught Drug Abuse Resistance Education across the Gallup-McKinley County School District, graduating more than 500 students.
Reflecting on his first term, Maiorano highlighted several major milestones, including moving the department into a brand-new facility this past February.
Under Maiorano’s leadership, the department also spearheaded the restart of the joint Drug Task Force, which combines MCSO deputies, GPD officers, and FBI agents to target regional drug trafficking. Additionally, the MCSO has hosted multi-agency tactical defense training sessions, which Maiorano hopes the Navajo Nation Police Department will join soon.
Maiorano attributes these accomplishments to his staff.
“We’ve had a fantastic four years,” he said. “I’ve had a great team behind me that’s very motivated to accomplish things.”
Looking ahead, Maiorano is preparing to launch a new women’s citizen academy before the end of the year. Beyond basic self-defense, the curriculum covers active-shooter drills, Narcan administration, and “Stop the Bleed” emergency training. Although instructors are still finalizing the schedule, the initial cohort has already reached full capacity, with additional sessions planned for the future.
Despite these programmatic successes, staffing remains a persistent challenge. The department currently has four deputy openings.
“One of the things we learned is that staffing is always going to be difficult,” Maiorano said. “We have a great team with great rapport, [and] there’s great morale within the agency—it’s just difficult to get cops in New Mexico.”
To combat the shortage, Maiorano is focusing on recruiting locally while putting a record five cadets through the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy.
As Election Day approaches, Maiorano welcomes the upcoming challenge at the ballot box.
“I think it’s an opportunity for democracy,” he said. “[People] get to choose if they like what we’ve been up to or if they want to see something new.”
