Midland County has a fresh face – and a new perspective – wearing the Sheriff’s uniform. Scott Holzinger officially took office on January 1 and has wasted no time setting a tone of integrity, transparency, and community-first leadership.
Holzinger dove in headfirst, focusing on strengthening his team and recruiting new talent. With law enforcement agencies facing staffing shortages nationwide, he’s made employee wellness a priority, offering training, mental health resources, and leadership opportunities to attract and retain the best people for the job. “This is an opportunity to fully staff the corrections division with candidates who align with the culture of the department,” he shares.
One of Holzinger’s top goals is building stronger connections with the community. Early in his term, he created a new Community Resource Deputy role, filled by Connor Smith, to handle walk-in complaints, assist records staff, and manage the Sheriff’s social media. But that’s just the beginning. “I’d like to see our team more present at community events,” Holzinger says. “Law enforcement should be the heartbeat of the community.”
He’s also placing new emphasis on youth outreach and mental health initiatives – areas he believes are key to prevention and public safety.
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Uniform of Deputy DeWitt Fillmore, Holzinger’s grandfatherMany residents got to know Holzinger during the 2024 campaign, but for him, this role has been a long time coming. “This actually started when I started my career. This was never ‘hey, there’s an opening, this sounds like something fun to do.’ This is where I wanted to finish my career. I wanted to work in this office versus the police department. The city is great, and we have a great relationship, but I wanted to be able to get out into the county and spread my wings a bit. I was always enamored with the Sheriff’s Office,” he explains. “My grandfather worked here.”
Holzinger’s grandfather was tragically killed by a drunk driver in Sanford in 1976. Today, his uniform hangs in the Sheriff’s office – a powerful reminder of his service and legacy. Holzinger credits stories of his grandfather’s community service as the spark that lit his interest in law enforcement as a child. “He also aspired to be Sheriff one day,” Holzinger shares. Now, he gets to honor that.
When asked what people might not know about him, Holzinger laughed. “I’m a homebody to a fault. Honestly, I think I’m boring,” he says. “When I’m not working, I spend time with my wife and two boys.” But he did offer up a few lesser-known facts. His childhood best friend, Adam Wright, now runs the jail’s transport division. “We’ve been friends since we were five. We grew up around the corner from each other, played sports, graduated together. Now we work together. That’s kind of fun and special.”
He also shares that his great-grandmother was Amish and left the community to go on and marry his great-grandfather. Their family farm in Hope is now a centennial farm, Midland County roots that go back more than 100 years.
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Scott Holzinger"This wasn’t just a Scott decision, it was a Scott, Jenn, Logan, and Kellen decision.”Family is central to everything Holzinger does, which is why running for Sheriff was a family decision. “This wasn’t just a Scott decision,” he says. “It was a Scott, Jenn, Logan, and Kellen decision.” He acknowledges that the role has come with sacrifices as he’s missed a few of his sons’ events – but the decision to run came only after everyone was on board. “My boys have always known me as ‘Dad the Cop,’ and now they just see me as ‘Boss of the Cops.’ Not much has changed for them,” he adds.
Now seven months into his term, Holzinger is often asked what has surprised him most. His answer? The jail. As Sheriff, Holzinger is responsible for operating and maintaining the Midland County Jail, a part of the role he hadn’t worked in directly before. “It’s a bigger challenge than I anticipated,” he admits. “I want to make sure the jail staff knows they are a vital part of our team, even though they’re not housed at the Law Enforcement Center.”
To that end, Holzinger has a designated office at the jail and works there at least once a week. He spends time talking to staff and inmates alike, listening to concerns, and getting to know the people behind the operations. “I hadn’t worked out of that building before, so it’s been a learning curve,” he shares. “But an important one.”
When asked what makes him most proud, Holzinger doesn’t hesitate. “Our staff genuinely cares about the well-being of this community because they live here,” he says. “They want what everyone else wants: a safe place to raise their families, a safe place to be outside. It’s humbling and it makes me feel good that they want to do a good job.”
He’s also especially proud of the school resource officers serving Meridian, Coleman, and Bullock Creek schools. “It’s important for all kids to have access to officers and to build positive relationships with law enforcement early on,” he says.
Looking ahead, Sheriff Holzinger remains focused on building trust and fostering collaboration between his office and the people of Midland County. “My goal is to make our county a safer, stronger place for all.”