A longtime employee of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and leader of a regional drug enforcement team is running for sheriff.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp confirmed to The Bulletin Wednesday that he is throwing his hat in the ring for the top job and then formally announced his candidacy in a statement.

In an interview, Vander Kamp said that among his main goals as sheriff would be to address mental illness, traffic accidents and the mounting fentanyl epidemic.

He said he wants to restore trust and accountability within the sheriff’s office and took direct aim at the leadership under outgoing Sheriff Shane Nelson, saying lawsuits, settlements and “runaway spending” in recent years have cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

“I work with some of the hardest working law enforcement professionals in Oregon. The embarrassing leadership and news stories about lawsuits doesn’t represent the work that we do as an office,” he said, adding: “I think people need to be proud of the sheriff’s office again.”

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Vander Kamp will face off against Capt. William Bailey, who has worked for the sheriff’s office since 2000 and filed for election earlier this year.

Candidates face off

Vander Kamp criticized Bailey as being part of what he sees as poor leadership in the sheriff’s office.

“We just can’t afford another four years of the same,” Vander Kamp said of the sheriff’s office leadership. He said that if Bailey is elected, “What we’re going to have is a continuation of what we’ve been seeing.”

Bailey issued a statement to The Bulletin Wednesday responding to Vander Kamp’s announcement and his criticism of sheriff’s office leadership.

“I am proud to protect the residents of Deschutes County alongside Sheriff Nelson, and I am happy to have his support to succeed him,” said Bailey. “But make no mistake about it, I am my own person. As Sheriff, I will do what I’ve done throughout my nearly 23-year law enforcement career: do everything I can to serve and protect the residents of Deschutes County.”

Nelson said in a statement Wednesday that he will support Bailey in the upcoming election, saying Bailey is “the candidate with the character, experience, and the skills to be a successful sheriff.”

Of Vander Kamp’s statements, he added: “Disparaging comments that lack merit are disappointing to see from a candidate for sheriff.”

“These comments are a repeat of comments made from the opponents in my two elections for sheriff,” he said. “Sadly, statements like these are made by candidates who lack the management experience necessary to do the job so they resort to negative campaign tactics which end up affecting all of our teammates serving our community.”

Nelson plans to serve the rest of his term and retire Jan. 3, 2025.

Background and experience

Vander Kamp first joined the sheriff’s office as a volunteer medic and pilot for search and rescue 19 years ago. He has since ascended the ranks in a variety of roles before becoming detective sergeant and the leader of the region’s drug enforcement team.

His work with the drug enforcement team has coincided with the rapid increase in fentanyl into the region and state, which authorities say is driving an increase in overdoses. He said in a statement Wednesday that it is his goal to “stem the flow of drugs.”

Vander Kamp also leads a statewide nonprofit drug diversion and education program that raises awareness and educates people about substance abuse and impaired driving and promotes mental health and wellness.

Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney Andrew Doyle has worked extensively with Vander Kamp and the regional drug enforcement team. He wouldn’t endorse either candidate but praised Vander Kamp’s abilities as a manager and said he has a well-balanced background.

“I think he’s the perfect candidate,” Doyle said.

Neither Bailey nor Vander Kamp have a disciplinary history as law enforcement officials in Oregon, according to a database maintained by the state’s Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, which is responsible for holding Oregon law enforcement officers accountable for bad behavior.

Bailey has nearly 23 years of experience in the sheriff’s office. He has trained newly hired deputies. He has served as a criminal and street crimes detective and on a critical incident team. He was also a member of a task force focused on responding to the opioid crisis and a regional domestic violence council.

The Deschutes County Sheriff Employee’s Association declined to comment for this article.

Deschutes County commissioners Tony DeBone did not return requests for comment. Commissioner Patti Adair declined to comment.

County Commissioner Phil Chang would not state which candidate he supports, but emphasized he will be “watching the race closely.” His key concern is that the new sheriff demonstrate improved management and leadership.

“In recent years the sheriff’s office has suffered from poor fiscal management and violations of human resource law, and that has cost the citizens of Deschutes County dearly,” Chang said. “I want the sheriff’s candidates to show me that they have the skills, the experience and the temperament to lead our community.”

Vander Kamp says he’s confident he will receive support from sheriff’s office staff and the broader community.

“It’s time to bring the office to the next level,” he said.