Tyler Anderson, the Madras-area former deputy challenging Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock in November, has lost his law enforcement certifications for life following a decision by Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) on May 21.
The agency's Police Policy Committee voted to revoke Anderson's certifications after reviewing findings connected to his termination from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in March 2025. The revocation is permanent — Anderson can never again serve as a sworn peace officer in Oregon.
What Led Here
Anderson had worked in Jefferson County law enforcement for 17 years before being fired by Sheriff Pollock. The termination triggered a DPSST review, which found Anderson had violated board-established standards of moral fitness. Among the documented findings: Anderson was removed from the Central Oregon Response Team after allegedly encouraging another officer to break a window on a suspect vehicle and failing to properly report the incident.
Anderson has maintained that the process was unfair. At the May 21 committee hearing, he told the panel that key witnesses — including people he had asked to speak on his behalf — were never interviewed during the investigation.
"None of the witnesses, my background investigators, or members of the public that we've asked to be interviewed were interviewed," Anderson told the committee before it voted.
Anderson also appears on Oregon's Brady List, a registry of officers whose credibility has been called into question in ways that must be disclosed to defense attorneys in criminal cases.
What This Means for the Race
Despite the decertification, Anderson's name will still appear on the November general election ballot. Oregon election law does not require a candidate for sheriff to hold a current law enforcement certification — only the person who ultimately serves in the role needs to meet statutory qualifications.
The question of whether Anderson could legally serve as sheriff if elected is one county voters and attorneys may be weighing in the months ahead.
Incumbent Sheriff Jason Pollock, who has served since his appointment in June 2022 and won election that fall, has not publicly commented on the decertification ruling.
Because only two candidates filed for the position before the March filing deadline, the sheriff's race did not appear on the May primary ballot. Jefferson County voters will decide the outcome in the November general election.
Background
Anderson, who graduated from DPSST training in 2016, had made accountability and transparency centerpieces of his campaign. He has argued that Sheriff Pollock placed him on leave three separate times before eventually terminating him, and that the disciplinary process was politically motivated.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has not commented on the DPSST ruling or Anderson's candidacy.
Voters seeking more information on both candidates can review their filed campaign materials at jeffco.net or contact the Jefferson County Clerk's office.