Administration
Major Steve Elliott | Chief Deputy
Selliott@talbotcountymd.gov | 410-770-8115
Major. Elliott joined the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office in August 2016 as a civilian employee as the first Heroin Coordinator for Talbot County. In July 2018, Steve Elliott was appointed as a Lieutenant, Commander of the Criminal investigations Division. In July 2019 Lt. Elliott was promoted to the rank of Captain over seeing the Patrol/Operations Division.
Prior to working with the Sheriff’s Office, Elliott enjoyed a 27 ½ year career with the Maryland State Police, retiring as a Commander in the Criminal Enforcement Division-Eastern Region.
Captain John Bollinger | Administrative Commander
Jbollinger@talbotcountymd.gov | 410-770-8114
Captain John Bollinger is the Administrative Commander. As the Administrative Commander, Capt. Bollinger oversees the rules and regulations, training, civil process services, mandated reporting as required by Maryland Law and the Administrative Support Staff.
Captain Bollinger joined the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office in March 2007 as a Lieutenant, Commander of the Criminal Investigation Unit. He was promoted to Captain in July 2018 and transferred to the Commander of the Patrol/Operations Division. During the 2021 Maryland Legislative session, many laws were adopted dealing with Police Reform. Captain Bollinger has been tasked with bringing the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office in compliance with the new mandates.
Captain Bollinger retired from the Maryland State Police in February 2007 after 27 years of service. He began his career as a road trooper in Charles County before being transferred to the Narcotics Unit working on the eastern shore of Maryland. Captain Bollinger spent the next 18 years working in various investigative divisions, with the last 11 years spent in the statewide homicide unit as the regional commander.
Captain Bollinger recently celebrated his 44th year in law enforcement, having spent the majority of that time working in and around Talbot County.
Lieutenant J.R. Dobson | Patrol/Operations Commander
Jdobson@talbotcountymd.gov | 410-770-8106
Lieutenant Steve Hall | Criminal Investigations Commander
SHall@talbotcountymd.gov | 410-770-8112
Lt. Steve Hall is the Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division and over sees the detective unit and deputies assigned to the narcotics task force.
Lt. Hall joined the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office in February 2018 appointed as a Det./Sgt. assistant Commander of the Criminal Investigation Division. In November 2020 Hall was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant becoming the Commander of the Criminal Investigation Division.
Lt. Hall retired from the Maryland State Police with 28 year of service. He started his career working road patrol on the Eastern Shore before moving into a criminal investigation assignment at the Easton Barrack. He was assigned to the statewide Homicide Unit for 15 years where he worked in every county in the state as well as Baltimore City. During his tenure with the Homicide Unit, he served as an investigator, supervisor and commander.
1st. Sgt. Justin Aita| Assistant Commander Patrol Operations Division
Jaita@Talbotcountymd.gov| 410-770-8113
First Sergeant Justin Aita is the Assistant Commander of the Patrol/Operations Division and oversees Deputies assigned to the Patrol Division, School Resource Officer Division, Judicial Protection and Security Division, Crisis Response Unit (SWAT), K-9 Unit, and the Crash Reconstruction Unit.
First Sergeant (F.Sgt.) Aita holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from York College of Pennsylvania. F./Sgt. Aita began his career as a Deputy with the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office in 2015, after serving several years with another law enforcement agency in Maryland. Once hired in 2015 by Sheriff Gamble, First Sergeant Aita was assigned to the Patrol/Operations Division as a Patrol Deputy. In July 2016 he was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division as an overt drug investigator assigned to the Street Drug Interdiction Unit, where he investigated and interdicted low level CDS violations, as well as assisted the Talbot County Drug Task Force with their investigations. In 2018, First Sergeant Aita was selected and assigned to be a member of the County Crisis Response Unit, Tactical Team (SWAT). He has risen through the ranks of the Tactical Team and now serves as the Assistant Commander of the unit responsible for overseeing the Tactical Team and Negotiations Team.
In 2018 he was transferred back to the Patrol Division where he served again as a Patrol Deputy until being transferred into the Criminal Investigations Division as a Detective in 2019. In May 2019 First Sergeant Aita was promoted to the rank of Corporal within the Criminal Investigations Division, as a first line supervisor. In 2019, he was awarded the State of Maryland’s Police Officer of the Year from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). In October 2022 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, as a second line supervisor, and again stayed in the Criminal Investigations Division as a supervisor and Detective. As a member of the Criminal Investigations Division, he was responsible for investigating major crimes that occurred within Talbot County, as well as assisting in the monitoring of the Talbot County Sex Offender Registry. In March 2023, he was federally deputized with Homeland Security Investigations , where he was assigned as a Task Force Officer under the HSI Baltimore Field Office, to be able to investigate and enforce federal criminal law violations.
In July 2024 First Sergeant Aita was transferred back to the Patrol/Operations Division by Sheriff Gamble and assigned as the Assistant Commander. On October 15, 2024 he was promoted to the rank of First Sergeant.
1st. Sgt. Cory Willey| Assistant Administrative Commander
Cwilley@talbotcountymd.gov | 410-822-1020
Det./ Sgt. Marlene Gieratltowski| Criminal Investigations
MGieraltowski@talbotcountymd.gov | 410-770-8118
Detective Sergeant (D/Sgt.) Marlene Gieraltowski is the Assistant Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division and oversees the detective unit and deputies assigned to the drug task force.
D/Sgt. Gieraltowski began her career with the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office in 2007 and was assigned to the Uniformed Patrol Division until 2012 when she was transferred to Criminal Investigations Division. In April of 2019, D/Sgt. Gieraltowski was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Division. In February 2020, D/ Sgt. Gieraltowski was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division was promoted to assistant commander in October 2022. In her current position, she is responsible for the supervision/management/compliance of all the registered sexual offenders in Talbot County. She is a member of the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children task force and Talbot County Child Advocacy Center. She is a certified DARE instructor within the Talbot County Public Schools.
