It is with great sadness that the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office is announcing the loss of one of our family. Former Tillamook County Sheriff Todd Anderson passed away on Sunday night, December 27th in Portland. Sheriff Anderson had been battling some medical issues for several months but seemingly was on the mend until recently when he suffered some additional complications and was hospitalized.
Several us at the Sheriff’s Office and many county employees and community partners worked closely with Sheriff Anderson for several years before he retired. Sheriff Anderson started his law enforcement career with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office as a cadet then became a full-time employee as a Corrections Deputy in the early 1980’s. Sheriff Anderson then went to work for the Rockaway Beach Police Department as a police officer. He then transferred to the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office and worked as a patrol deputy, narcotics detective, sergeant, lieutenant and eventually holding the office of Sheriff for several years. When Sheriff Anderson retired he went to work for the Department of Public Safety, Standards and Training up until a few years ago when he retired completely.
Sheriff Anderson dedicated many years of his life to public safety and to the citizens of our community. Not only was he a mentor to several of us still in the law enforcement field, he was also a good friend. Sheriff Anderson had the ability to foster and maintain strong relationships with almost everyone and was very well known at many levels of state government. Everywhere you went there was always someone who knew Sheriff Anderson and had very positive things to say about him.
There is no information currently regarding services for Sheriff Anderson. Many of us will want to reach out to Sheriff Anderson’s family and lend them our support. Cards can be sent to the Anderson Family at P.O. Box 1395 Long Beach, WA 98631. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to www.publicsafetychaplaincy.com or www.odmp.org in Sheriff Todd Anderson’s name. The Anderson family appreciates the love and support for Todd and the Family.
Sheriff Anderson’s untimely passing is a huge loss for Tillamook County and the State of Oregon. He will be remembered as an excellent law enforcement officer, a very generous person, and a great friend.
Please keeps Todd’s family in your prayers.
From Neal Lemery: “I am very greatly saddened. Please extend my deepest sympathies to the Sheriff’s Department. Todd was a mainstay at the Sheriff’s office. His commitment to service, his leadership, and his professionalism were always first class.
I greatly enjoyed working with him when I was District Attorney, and he was always good to work with as well as when I was a defense attorney. He was so very reliable, solid, and supportive of others.
When I first met him, he was the young kid on the block, and soon found his stride. He mentored others and was always a strong leader, deeply caring about his fellow officers as well as the community.
He was an incredible resource and continued to be a good friend and asset to me when I was Justice of the Peace.”