Deschutes County sheriff loses badge, plans to appeal

Published 9:57 am Thursday, July 24, 2025

The state Board of Public Safety Standards and Training on Thursday rubber-stamped a lifetime ban against longtime Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputy and short-lived Sheriff Kent van der Kamp ever serving in Oregon law enforcement, a move the embattled sheriff has already said he plans to appeal despite his looming retirement.

The decision to revoke van der Kamp’s badge was largely driven by a string of dishonesty allegations that have plagued the sheriff since before he took office at the start of 2024. His previously announced resignation is effective July 31.

Van der Kamp did not immediately respond to the Bulletin’s request for comment after the board’s meeting on Thursday.

Dishonesty allegations

Van der Kamp was elected in November after a contentious contest with sheriff’s Capt. William Bailey.

During his campaign, van der Kamp faced allegations from sitting sheriff Shane Nelson that he never reported his prior termination from a police department in La Mesa, California. Van der Kamp adamantly disputed these claims, but when personnel documents accidentally leaked by his lawyers confirmed this was the case, van der Kamp claimed he left the agency before ever receiving notice that he was let go.

Despite the controversy, voters elected van der Kamp with 60% of the vote — a decision many of his constituents came to regret.

In April, a report was released by the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office that confirmed van der Kamp lied while under oath about his educational history, and he was subsequently barred from giving court testimony in Deschutes County Circuit Court — otherwise known as being placed on the Brady List. The report also revealed van der Kamp supplied false documents, mainly resumes, to Oregon State Police.

After the district attorney’s report was released, there were widespread calls for van der Kamp to resign, including from Deschutes County Commissioners Phil Chang and Patti Adair, as well as Bend Mayor Mealie Kebler. The Oregon State Sheriff’s Association also expelled van der Kamp from its membership, the first time in known history that a sitting sheriff has been removed from the professional organization, according to Executive Director Tim Svenson.

Police Policy Committee recommendation

On May 22, the state’s Police Policy Committee condemned van der Kamp and recommended a lifetime ban from Oregon law enforcement. This is the same recommendation that the Board of Public Safety Standards and Training upheld Thursday. The committee’s recommendation was aggravated by the way van der Kamp routinely dismissed allegations and dodged accountability.

“I’m recommending lifetime,” said Police Policy Committee Member Teresa Livingston on May 22. “The lack of accountability or any kind of remorse or acceptance — whether he wants to say it’s a mistake or not — there’s no ownership. He’s just basically giving blame back. I was not moved by the mitigating information provided and the level of dishonesty throughout the years, the lying under oath, I think it raises this to that level.”

After the Police Policy Committee made its recommendation, van der Kamp asserted that the committee didn’t have its facts straight, relying on rumors to make its conclusion.

“I am disappointed that the committee appeared to disregard the absence of actual evidence in the historic La Mesa matter and instead relied on speculation and subjective impressions in reaching their decision,” van der Kamp said in a statement after the recommendation. “Following today’s hearing, my team will begin the appeals process in hopes of correcting the record.”

What comes next?

Van der Kamp tendered his resignation on June 23, 168 days after he was sworn into office and just minutes after a recall effort to forcibly remove him was announced. The Deschutes County Commission plans to appoint an interim sheriff to serve until the next election in 2026 on Tuesday.

Vying for the role are Undersheriff Aaron Wells, Detective and Special Services Commander Ty Rupert, Detective Lt. James McLaughlin and former Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Deron McMaster. Bend Deputy Police Chief Paul Kansky has also applied to the position.

According to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s public information officer, Sam Tenney, the process for an administrative appeal could take several months and allow van der Kamp to keep his credentials throughout the appeals process. Even if the board’s decision is upheld, van der Kamp can submit a legal appeal through the court system; at that point, however, his lifetime ban will go into effect unless overturned by the courts.