Sheriff-elect Kent van der Kamp names command staff and will take office a week early, as Shane Nelson retires Dec. 31
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved the appointment of Kent van der Kamp as Deschutes County Sheriff for the period of Jan. 1, 2025, until his term of office begins on Jan. 6, as Sheriff Shane Nelson retires Dec. 31.
The appointment is required by state law (ORS 236.210) because Sheriff Shane Nelson retires on Dec. 31, leaving the position vacant until van der Kamp can be officially sworn in at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 6.
"I am deeply honored to accept the appointment by the Board of Commissioners to serve as Deschutes County Sheriff during this transitional period. I look forward to officially stepping into this role and continuing to build on the trust and collaboration our community deserves,” said Sheriff-elect Kent van der Kamp.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sheriff Shane Nelson for his decades of dedicated service. I wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement."
Last November, voters elected van der Kamp to serve as the tenth Sheriff of Deschutes County, defeating sheriff's Captain William Bailey in a hard-fought race.
He will oversee the department’s budget and manage more than 260 department employees, including patrol and corrections officers, court security, a search and rescue team, SWAT, administrative and special services, and automotive maintenance.
The county noted in its announcement that "Sheriff-elect van der Kamp has had an extensive, 22-year career with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. Among his many titles, van der Kamp served as a Patrol Sergeant, a Criminal Detective, an Internal Affairs Investigator and he supervised the department’s SWAT paramedic team."
Sheriff-elect van der Kamp replaces Shane Nelson, who was appointed Sheriff in 2015 following the early retirement of Larry Blanton. Nelson was elected to the position in 2016 and again in 2020, but Bailey lost the November election, despite Nelson's endorsement.
In an announcement later Wednesday, van der Kamp said, "I am also thrilled to introduce our new command staff, who will bring their leadership and expertise to guide us through this journey:
- Undersheriff Aaron Wells
- Patrol Captain Mike Sundberg
- Detective Captain Ty Rupert
- Corrections Captain Mike Shults
- Administrative Captain Bill Bailey
"These individuals bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to excellence. I am confident their leadership will inspire and support us all as we work toward our shared goals.” said van der Kamp.
On November 5th, 2024, Kent van der Kamp was elected as the 10th Sheriff of Deschutes County, Oregon. Sheriff van der Kamp oversees the 3055 square mile county and manages more than 260 employees. The office operates with a $67 million dollar budget that includes patrol, corrections, court security, search and rescue, administrative services, special services, SWAT and automotive maintenance. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office provides patrol services throughout the county and the incorporated cities of Sisters and La Pine. Sheriff van der Kamp's greatest responsibilities is to protect the people who live and visit Deschutes County.
