DCLO PAC Endorses Ty Rupert for Deschutes County Sheriff.

DCLO PAC had a chance to meet with the Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert. He was appointed interim sheriff by the Deschutes County Commissioners in July of 2025, following the resignation of former Sheriff Kent Vander Kamp due to misconduct. It is evident that Ty intends to restore trust and confidence in the department, and is committed to engaging with the community to understand their concerns.

We were impressed by Ty Rupert’s experience with the department. He has been with the Sheriff's Department for over 20 years, and has held many roles.

“Ty Rupert held various roles in the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, including Detective Lieutenant, Patrol Lieutenant, Special Services, Search and Rescue, and Emergency Management Unit Lieutenant, Patrol Sergeant, Criminal Detective, Street Crimes Detective, Patrol Deputy Sheriff, and Reserve Deputy Sheriff. He also served as a Field Training Officer, a CPR/First Aid Instructor, a Crisis Intervention Team Officer, and an EVOC Instructor.” - sheriff.deschutes.org

We believe his experience equips him with a deep understanding of the department's operations and challenges.

Ty talked about how he was inspired by his father, a Marine Corps veteran, who had hopes to pursue his career in law enforcement, but never had the chance. Ty lost his father at a very young age, and is now following in the footsteps of his father. Ty's own military background as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran complements his law enforcement experience, instilling values of integrity and accountability in his leadership style.

He put a lot of emphasis on implementing measures to save taxpayer money, including negotiating discounts with vendors and reorganizing personnel to reduce costs, while paying attention to their individual talents and best fit. He also intends to increase the number of deputies on the streets and in the jail, where he believes our community can be more effectively served.

Ty Rupert expressed the importance of his extensive experience managing complex organizations and overseeing substantial budgets. This experience is already being seen in the budget he shared with us.

Our meeting with Ty showed us his commitment to transparency, community engagement, and dedication to fiscal responsibility are not just political statements. He shows it in the real tasks and projects he is implementing on a daily basis. He is a person of substance, heartfelt substance and we think he is the right guy for the right job.

Supporting Rupert means supporting a future of accountable and responsive law enforcement.

DCLO would like to encourage this community to come together to do your part, in supporting Ty Rupert for Sheriff. Our system is a good one, if we can just run it right. Ty has shown us that that is his intention. Our commitment to our Sheriff, to government process, starts at the grassroots. Please, spread the word, support Ty Rupert in his efforts, vote and get others to vote as well. Then we will have the Sheriff we deserve...