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MEET
YOUR
SHERIFFS

Learn more about the current 36 elected sheriffs in Oregon and the counties they serve.

Click on a county to highlighted it and see that sheriff's biography along other information.

Deschutes County

(541) 388-6655
(541) 389-4454
63333 W. Hwy. 20 Bend, OR 97703

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Sheriff L. Shane Nelson

Sheriff Nelson has been in law enforcement since 1993 and is in his second term as Sheriff. The Deschutes County Commissioners unanimously appointed Nelson as the 9th Sheriff of Deschutes County in July 2015. He was voted in by the citizens of Deschutes County in November 2016 and November 2020. He was born and raised in Bend and graduated from Mountain View High School in 1988. After graduating from Oregon State University in 1993 he moved back to Bend.  He and his wife Lisa, a retired Bend Police Officer, have four children.

Sheriff Nelson is an active member of the community; as Sheriff of Deschutes County, he serves on the Board of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, holds the office of President, is a past Vice President and Secretary, and is a member of several committees to include budget, legislative, and training committee; is a board member of the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and past Chair, Vice Chair, and Chair of the Finance Subcommittee; serves on the Board of Oregon Accreditation Alliance as Vice Chair and is a past Secretary/Treasurer; he serves on the Board of Directors for Pilot Butte Partners and has served on the Board of Directors for the Redmond School District. He is also a CORE 3 (Central Oregon Ready, Responsive, Resilient) Regional Training and Response Center Executive Council and Political Leadership Team member.

Sheriff Nelson is the past Director of the Redmond Youth Football Program and has coached youth soccer and basketball for the Redmond Area Parks and Recreation District. He is a past member of the Deschutes County Shared Future Coalition, Redmond Development Commission Safety Stakeholder Committee, as well as, a past member of the Redmond Executive Association.

CAREER

  • 1993 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Reserve Deputy
  • 1994 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Patrol Deputy Sheriff
  • 1999 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Corporal
  • 2001 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Criminal Detective
  • 2003 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Patrol Sergeant
  • 2006 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Patrol Lieutenant
  • 2010 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Administrative Lieutenant
  • 2012 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Captain, Operations Division Commander
  • 2013 – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Captain, Corrections Division Commander
  • 2015 – July 1, 2015 – Sheriff of Deschutes County

EDUCATION

  • 1993 – Oregon State University, B. S. Speech Communication

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

  • Department of Public Safety Standards and Training – Executive Certificate
  • Department of Public Safety Standards and Training – Middle Mgt. Course
  • Mark Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University-“Supervision in the Public Sector”
  • Graduate of Class #2 Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association Command College
  • Graduate of Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association Sheriffs’ Institute
  • Graduate of 2012 Leadership Bend

AVOCATION

  • Family outings, skiing, hunting, hiking and fishing

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