Sheriff Van der Kamp Ousted from Oregon Sheriffs Association Over False Education Claims

Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp has been expelled from the Oregon State Sheriffs Association (OSSA) for untruthful statements regarding his educational credentials.

A Motion to Expel Was a Unanimous 32 Votes

On May 14, 32 sheriffs cast a unanimous vote in favor of permanently removing van der Kamp from his role as a director of the OSSA Board.

In a news release, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association said it became aware of an extensive investigation by the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, which focused on concerns about van der Kamp’s honesty.

Following the investigation, District Attorney Steve Gunnels concluded that van der Kamp could no longer serve as a credible witness in criminal court proceedings.

His decision prompted the OSSA executive committee to call on the Board of Directors to decide if van der Kamp should be temporarily suspended or permanently removed from his position as a director of the OSSA Board.

OSSA says it notified the Deschutes Sheriff that the matter would be addressed at its Spring Conference, where van der Kamp would have the opportunity to address the Board before a final decision was taken.

OSSA says Sheriff van der Kamp failed to address the Board or to submit any written materials for consideration.