With ballots due Monday evening, Jefferson County’s sheriff race remains one of the most closely watched — and most complicated — contests in Central Oregon this election cycle. And the day after voters decide the commissioner races, the drama intensifies.

On Thursday, May 21, the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Police Policy Committee will take up the case of Tyler Anderson, the former Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputy who is challenging incumbent sheriff Jason Pollock in the November general election.

What the State Review Is About

The DPSST review stems from allegations that led to Anderson’s termination in 2025 following a decade with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. According to termination documents obtained by OPB through a public records request, Anderson was found to have:

  • Been untruthful on multiple occasions
  • Failed to disclose a prior termination from an Idaho police department when he was hired
  • Had an improper relationship with a confidential informant
  • Not disclosed alleged drug use in college — cocaine, marijuana, and mushrooms — during his background investigation

Anderson, in an interview, acknowledged the college drug use but said it predated his law enforcement career and that he has since changed. He denied the other allegations, calling his termination politically motivated because he did not support Pollock’s 2022 campaign for sheriff.

“When I was in college, I tried cocaine, marijuana, and mushrooms all pretty much in the same month when I first got into college. I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve changed a lot, and nothing I’m being accused of has anything to do with me in the line of duty.”

Brady List and DA Implications

Following his termination, both the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office and the Crook County DA added Anderson to their Brady lists — a database of law enforcement officers whose credibility may be called into question in criminal proceedings. Prosecutors are ethically obligated not to call Brady-listed officers as witnesses.

Anderson has said the Brady listing “will have no impact” if he becomes sheriff, noting it only affects his ability to testify, not to manage the department. He also said he hopes to get the listing overturned with “a new DA.”

What Happens if Credentials Are Revoked

Under Oregon law, a sheriff must hold a valid law enforcement certification, or obtain one within a year of taking office. If the DPSST committee votes to revoke Anderson’s certifications, he would need to complete the recertification process within that window.

Anderson said he and his attorneys are “very confident” they can preserve his credentials, and noted that his planned undersheriff could serve in an interim capacity if needed.

Sheriff Pollock, responding by email to OPB, said the investigation was not politically motivated and pointed to the findings of the third-party investigator, the two district attorneys’ independent reviews, and the DPSST process as evidence of the legitimacy of the concerns raised.

The DPSST hearing is scheduled for May 21. The outcome will not affect the November general election ballot but could significantly shape the race’s trajectory.