Garrison named Undersheriff

Sheriff Shane Nelson announced last week that Captain Paul Garrison had been named Undersheriff in the midst of an election that pits two current Deschutes County Sheriff's Office personnel against each other.

In a message posted to Facebook, Sheriff Nelson said, "The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office has two internal candidates for the Office of Sheriff, Captain William Bailey and Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp. Like many political matters, this dynamic can be divisive for our Office and employees. When Captain Bailey announced his candidacy, I endorsed him. Once Sergeant Vander Kamp announced, I delegated all authority to decide election-related issues related to the sheriff's election to Captain Paul Garrison. Captain Garrison has remained neutral throughout the process. We also engaged the Deschutes County Legal Department and the Deschutes County Clerk to advise us on election-related issues as we moved forward in this election year."

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Sheriff Shane Nelson appointed Captain Paul Garrison as Undersheriff last week.

The position of Undersheriff has not been part of the DCSO organizational chart since 2007. Larry Blanton held the post when he was made acting Sheriff when Les Stiles announced his retirement. Blanton was then elected to two terms as sheriff in his own right.

Garrison explained his role in an interview with The Nugget.

"In the sheriff's absence, when he's gone, I fulfill his duties as sheriff," he said.

As regards election-related matters, Garrison said his efforts will be directed at keeping DCSO on mission, despite the potential turmoil represented by an election contested by two internal candidates. He said that there have been incidents of anonymous emails "criticizing or attacking employees, so that affects morale."

"Our focus is on public safety and customer service, and that's where we need to focus," he said. "The election is secondary."

Garrison said he has not expressed support for any candidate in the election.

The Sheriff's Office has been hit in recent months with tort claim notices - notices of a potential lawsuit - from three sheriff's office employees:

Sgt. Jeremiah Minton, Sgt. James McLaughlin, and Deputy Matthew Palmer. The tort claims from Minton and McLaughlin accuse department leaders of discriminating against employees if they support Vander Kamp instead of Bailey, the candidate Sheriff Nelson endorsed. Sheriff Nelson disputes the allegations.

In addition to handling election-related issues, Garrison will be tasked with overseeing the transition to the new administration of whichever candidate prevails in the election. According to Garrison, those requirements include transitioning administrative functions, financial and evidence audits, and a jail assessment.

Garrison is a 29-year law enforcement veteran. He started his career as a Black Butte Ranch Police Officer, then was hired by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, where he has served as a patrol deputy, training officer, SWAT leader, and detective.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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