The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Adult Correctional Facility in Madras, Ore., on July 28, 2026.
Eli Imadali / OPB
A man hoping to become Jefferson County’s next sheriff said he plans to continue his campaign despite the possibility he could lose his law enforcement certification for life.
Tyler Anderson told OPB that he won’t suspend his campaign to lead law enforcement operations in the Central Oregon county.
“Nothing’s changing. I’m still running,” Anderson said. He later added that he has a succession plan in place if he manages to win in November but is later disqualified.
“My undersheriff that is going to be coming with me, who I haven’t divulged to the public yet, is well-respected in the community and will do a great job and take over until they elect a new sheriff,” he said.
Anderson’s statement comes days after a state board that oversees police officers, firefighters and other public safety personnel across the state agreed to strip him of his law enforcement credentials. But his appeal throws that into question.
The investigation stems from Anderson’s firing by Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock in April 2025. An internal investigation reportedly found Anderson omitted that he had been fired from a police position in Idaho and had an improper relationship with an informant.
Anderson subsequently landed on the Brady List — a catalog of people whom prosecutors say should not be trusted to testify in court — in both Crook and Jefferson counties.
After his termination, regulators with the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training opened their own review that largely relied on the investigation by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. A staff report dated May 21 concurred with the investigation’s findings and recommended removing Anderson’s certification.
The larger board affirmed those findings Thursday. Anderson said he considered it a foregone conclusion and continued to dispute the allegations.
Anderson is appealing the findings, he said, and said he hoped for an opportunity to bring new evidence that hasn’t been entered into the record.
“We knew this was coming,” Anderson said. “We’re waiting for a trial date to be set. And this is what we wanted, because this is the first time we get to share our side of the evidence.”
Still, his campaign for sheriff isn’t over. The board cannot issue a final ruling until after his appeal is heard by an administrative law judge. That could take up to a year, said DPSST spokesperson Sam Tenney.
“It’s a long process,” Tenney said. “His certifications are very much in flux.”
Anderson’s credentials are considered “lapsed” due to his termination, but not permanently revoked. Under Oregon law, if elected, he has up to a year to get re-certified. But he would be barred for life if he loses the appeal.
Incumbent Sheriff Pollock is also seeking re-election. Pollock and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to requests for comment Monday.
