Morrow County

Sheriff John A. Bowles grew up in Banks, Oregon and graduated in 1991.He served in the US Army, worked as a general contractor in residential and commercial construction and as a Journeyman Iron Worker.

Sheriff Bowles began his law enforcement career with the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office in February of 2002 as a 911 Call Taker/Dispatcher and Reserve Patrol Deputy. In August of 2003, he became a full time Patrol Deputy.

When the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office began providing Parole and Probation services in 2010, Sheriff Bowles was selected as the Parole and Probation Deputy. In 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Victor G. Atiyeh Award at the commencement ceremony for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training’s Parole Officer Certification program. This highly regarded award is presented to the outstanding student who displays exceptional professionalism, exemplary attitude and outstanding achievement in leadership and academics.

In February of 2016, John was selected by Retired Sherriff Ken Matlack to become the next Undersheriff for Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. The Undersheriff is responsible for the overall management and operations of the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, consisting of an annual budget of over $5.2 million, and 37 full time, 5 part-time and 3 seasonal employees.

November 1, 2022, Bowles was unanimously chosen by the Morrow County Board of Commissioners to take office as Sheriff-elect upon the retirement of Ken Matlack.

Sheriff Bowles holds multiple certifications and serves on several committees including Heppner City Council. In 2021 John was selected by the Heppner Chamber of Commerce as Man of the Year for his hard work and dedication.

Sheriff Bowles and his wife Kristen currently reside in Heppner. They enjoy spending time with their children and grandkids.