BEND, OR -- The head of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team has entered the race for Deschutes County Sheriff. Det. Sgt. Kent Van der Kamp is running against Capt. William Bailey, who launched his campaign in July. "For the first time in a long time, Deschutes County voters can bring a fresh perspective to the Sheriff’s Office with two non-incumbent candidates," Van der Kamp tells KBND News. "I’m running for office because I love Deschutes County. I love the Sheriff’s Office; it’s a place I’ve called home now for 23 years." 

Van der Kamp says respects his opponents commitment to the agency, "But the big difference is, I have decades of executive management and leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. I have years of formal education, deep connections with the community here in Central Oregon and public safety leaders, that will bring the change necessary to make all of the voices heard at the Sheriff’s Office." He adds, "In these challenging times, it really requires proven leadership that’s grounded in collaboration, trust and respect. And I have all of these and a proven record for developing those strategic and innovative solutions to stop the crisis in our streets." 

Det. Sgt. Van der Kamp has worked for the Sheriff’s Office 23 years, and previously worked as a venture capitalist and entrepreneur. "I’m going to common sense common again in the Sheriff’s Office: I’m going to stop the runaway spending, the embarrassing news headlines, leaving the mentally ill and the addicted and the hopeless to live in the dirt in the streets with impunity, while calling it compassionate, people are dying because of fentanyl flooding into the region, all while not working with or ignoring the community partners or taxpayers, that’s not common sense."

If no one else enters the race before the March 12th filing deadline, the election for Sheriff will be held in November. If there’s a third candidate, there will be a May primary. 

Full interviews with both Capt. William Bailey and Det. Sgt. Kent Van der Kamp can be found at KBND's Podcast Page.