Lincoln County

Sheriff Adam Shanks began his career with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in 1995 as a Seasonal Marine Cadet. In 1996, he became a Reserve Police Officer with the Waldport Police Department until 1997 when he was hired as a full-time Patrol Deputy with the Sheriff’s Office. As a Patrol Deputy, Sheriff Shanks was appointed as a Field Training Officer.

In 2005, Sheriff Shanks was promoted to the rank of Patrol Sergeant where he supervised the Field Training Program for new deputies as well as career development training for the patrol division. He also managed scheduling of personnel, the Lincoln County Search and Rescue Team, and the Sheriff’s Office Canine Program.

Sheriff Shanks was promoted to Administrative Lieutenant on February 1, 2017. In 2020, Sheriff Shanks helped established the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Safety and Wellness Committee and later began the process of establishing the Peer Support team. As the Admin Lieutenant, Shanks was responsible for Sheriff’s Office training, policies and procedures, risk management, obtaining and administering grants, the Wellness Committee and related activities, and oversaw the Emergency Management Division.

Sheriff Shanks was elected in the fall of 2024 and took office January 2025. Sheriff Shanks has attended the OSSA Command College, the OSSA Sheriff’s Institute, and is a graduate of the Oregon Executive Development Institute. He has also attended the DPSST Supervisory and Middle Management courses and has over 2,000 hours of training in law enforcement, leadership and supervision. Sheriff Shanks possesses an executive certificate from DPSST.