Hello all,
First and foremost, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me in my campaign to continue as Tillamook County Sheriff in the 2020 General Election. I am very moved by the generosity and kindness that I received from across the county. Since my appointment, I have had many opportunities to work with community leaders, state and locally elected officials, citizens, and visitors to our area. I am very proud and humbled to be your Sheriff.
In August 2019, I was appointed Sheriff by the Tillamook County Board of County Commissioners based on the recommendation of retired Sheriff Andy Long. In my bid for the office of Sheriff, I secured the endorsement of the last three former Tillamook County Sheriffs, Tom Dye, Todd Anderson, and Andy Long; retired Justice of the Peace Neal Lemery; former Tillamook County Commissioner Jerry Dove; District Attorney Bill Porter; Police Chief Terry Wright; Police Chief Erik Harth; Police Chief Charlie Stewart; and Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett. I am privileged and humbled to have the support of these fine individuals, who have dedicated their lives to public service. In addition, I received overwhelming support from many other community members throughout our county. These relationships speak to my professionalism, integrity, and experience in working for the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office for the past 23 years.
It is with a heavy heart that I have made the decision to withdraw from the campaign due to personal and family reasons. Law enforcement is a challenging, yet very rewarding profession. It is ultimately a career, not just a job. It is important for all of us to recognize the importance of family and subsequently prioritize them.
Upon making this decision, I approached the most qualified person in our office who would continue to pursue the goals and maintain a high standard of excellence for the office, Lieutenant Gordon McCraw. I encouraged him to run for Sheriff. Lieutenant McCraw has been the long time Tillamook County Emergency Manager, a member of the Sheriff’s Office command staff, and our public information officer. He contributes to local media sources and manages his own weather forecasting page on social media, in addition to his many duties at the Sheriff’s Office. Lieutenant McCraw is a US Navy Veteran. He has many years of law enforcement experience both in the State of Oregon and the State of Louisiana. Not only has he been a deputy and officer, but has management experience as a Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Emergency Manager. Lieutenant McCraw told me he would be honored to run to be your Sheriff in 2021. Gordon McCraw will lead the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office in the positive direction that supports the progress and level of service that Sheriff Long and I have strived to instill in the agency. I pledge my full support to Gordon McCraw to become your Tillamook County Sheriff.
I am grateful to my children and family for their patience, support, and love throughout this endeavor. A huge thank you to the administration and staff at the Sheriff’s Office for their hard work as they continue to raise the bar in serving and protecting our community. In the next couple weeks, I will be personally reaching out to additional donors and supporters to thank them for everything.
This was a very difficult decision for me. However, I must put my family first. I plan to finish out my appointment as Sheriff and I will continue to implement our goals and improvements to our service. Many of my campaign platforms are projects that are necessary to make Tillamook County a safer place for our citizens and visitors. I know that Gordon McCraw will continue to work to make our community strong and safe. I encourage the citizens of our county to support him in this upcoming election.
As we move forward until the end of the year, our county can expect to see my dedication to public safety, transparency, stewardship, engagement with the public, and continued strong relationships with community partners.
I am proud to continue alongside all the great people who work at the Sheriff’s Office. Without their hard work and dedication, none of this would be possible. Our staff is our greatest asset. I know they will continue to strive to make the Sheriff’s Office an example for all other counties to follow.
Thank you, Tillamook County. It continues to be my honor to serve as your Tillamook County Sheriff.
Sincerely, Sheriff Jim Horton
