(BALTIMORE – October 9, 2026)— From the halls of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School to leadership positions in Baltimore’s public safety agencies, Sabrina Tapp-Harper has spent nearly four decades serving the city that raised her.
Now, the lifelong Baltimorean is preparing for another chapter. Tapp-Harper won the June 23 Democratic primary for Baltimore City Sheriff, defeating incumbent Sam Cogen. Maryland State Archives records show she received 36,352 votes, while Cogen received 30,046.
BMORENews readers know her well. This publication endorsed Tapp-Harper during the primary, recognizing her experience and longstanding commitment to Baltimore.
Her story begins here at home. A Dunbar graduate, Tapp-Harper earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Coppin State University and a Master of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University. Her educational journey accompanied a career that placed her in positions of substantial responsibility.
She retired from the Baltimore Police Department as a Major. Her leadership assignments included commanding the Northern District and Special Investigations. She later continued her service in the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office as an Assistant Sheriff.
One of the defining threads of her career has been protecting people facing domestic violence. Coppin’s alumni profile documents her move to the Sheriff’s Office in 2014 to manage its newly created Domestic Violence Unit, including work addressing protective orders throughout the city. The university also highlights her advocacy for the Violence Against Women Act and her visit to the White House during President Barack Obama’s administration.
Her supplied biography also details her advocacy for gun violence prevention and testimony before Congress on issues affecting public safety and communities.
Taken together, those experiences reflect a career spanning command leadership, investigations, survivor advocacy, and public service. They also underscore the importance of public trust: residents need institutions that respond to their concerns and protect those most vulnerable to harm.
As Tapp-Harper moves toward the November general election, she brings a lifetime of Baltimore roots and decades of professional experience to the moment.
From Dunbar to Coppin, from police leadership to the Sheriff’s Office, Sabrina Tapp-Harper’s journey is a Baltimore story—and one still being written.
BMORENews proudly endorses Sabrina Tapp-Harper for Baltimore City Sheriff. Join us in supporting her on Tuesday, November 3, 2026!
