Three things: Howard County sheriff hit the gridiron and does laundry

Now in his second term as Howard County sheriff, Marcus Harris is a staunch advocate of community outreach and a strong liaison with public schools. A native of Havre de Grace, he has a degree in sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park. A onetime athlete, Harris lives in Ellicott City with his wife and two children.

Here are three things you may not know about Harris, the first Black sheriff in Howard’s history:

Football helped put his life in order.

“Playing [cornerback] at Maryland taught me how to grind, work hard and deal with adversity. If not for football, I might not have gone to college. We didn’t go to a bowl game in my two years [8-13-1], but the experience made for great friendships; one teammate, [tackle] Larry Webster, later played for the Ravens and is now a special police officer here in Howard County.

“Once, while playing on special teams, I was running downfield against North Carolina and took a blind side hit, which knocked the ear pads right out of my helmet. Coming off the field, after the play, I didn’t really know my name — but I stayed in the game. Football taught me how to stay focused.”

He likes being Mr. Clean.

“I’m a neat freak; cleaning the house relaxes me. I do the toilets and shower, and I do the vacuuming. I was raised by a single mom who instilled in me how to take care of myself. My wife loves the fact that I clean because it means she has a partner.

“I do the laundry, too. I was trained that light colors go with lights and darks go with darks. I’m old school — I believe in keeping everything in order. I keep my [sheriff’s] badge shiny, too.”

The sheriff enjoys a good smoke.

“Smoking briskets and ribs outside is peaceful to me. But I’ll only cook for my family because I don’t want other people to [judge] the food. I like to smoke things slowly, up to 10 hours for a large brisket. I find it very calming.”