Sabrina Tapp-Harper files to challenge Sam Cogen for Baltimore Sheriff

Sabrina Tapp-Harper, described in filings as a veteran law-enforcement leader, officially filed her candidacy on Feb. 19, 2026, to run for Baltimore City Sheriff, setting up a primary challenge to incumbent Sam Cogen. The Feb. 19 filing was reported across local outlets and marks a formal entry into the race for the citywide position.

Tapp-Harper’s filing makes clear she is positioning herself as a contender to unseat Sam Cogen, the sitting sheriff. By entering the campaign with an official candidacy on Feb. 19, 2026, Tapp-Harper has transformed the sheriff’s contest from an uncontested incumbency into a head-to-head primary fight for Baltimore City voters.

The sheriff’s office in Baltimore City serves as the countywide law-enforcement and court-services agency; Tapp-Harper’s declaration on Feb. 19 anchors her campaign in that institutional arena. Her status as a veteran law-enforcement leader was cited in the formal filing reported on Feb. 19, and that professional background will be a central credential as she competes against sheriff Sam Cogen for the office’s administrative and operational responsibilities.

Local reporting on Feb. 19, 2026, noted the timing of Tapp-Harper’s paperwork and the immediate political consequence: a challenger has emerged to test Cogen’s hold on the sheriff’s office. As of Feb. 26, 2026, one week after the filing, the sheriff’s race in Baltimore City has moved from quiet incumbency to an active primary contest with both names on the ballot path.

Tapp-Harper’s official filing on Feb. 19 now begins the public phase of the campaign cycle for Baltimore City Sheriff between her and Sam Cogen. The Feb. 19 reports established the basic facts of the contest: candidate name, incumbent opponent, and the filing date that formalized the challenge, providing voters a clear starting point to follow developments in the months ahead.