Editorial: Questions for the possible interim Deschutes sheriff

Published 9:21 am Friday, July 4, 2025

Here are some questions the candidates for the interim Deschutes County Sheriff should answer:

Is there anything in your background that will disgrace the sheriff’s office?

Why do you want to take on this role?

What specific steps do you plan to take to restore trust and confidence in the office for the public and for sheriff’s office employees?

Would you consider yourself, if appointed as interim, to be what is referred to as a “Constitutional sheriff” where county law enforcement could supersede state and federal laws?

If you had to pick one example of something you did in law enforcement that made you proud, what would it be?

What was a bad thing that happened in your career in law enforcement and how did you learn from it?

How will you make yourself accessible to the public and to sheriff’s office staff? How will you seek to get input from the public?

How will you ensure that the sheriff’s office is transparent about what it does?

If you are not going to be interim sheriff, who would you suggest be picked and why?

A panel of candidates will be appearing at 6:30 p.m. on Monday at the Bend Elks Lodge. It is open to the public. Think about going.