Hood River County

Sheriff English was raised in Sherman County in the Columbia River Gorge. He graduated from Sherman Union High School and went on to attend Southern Oregon University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Science.

In 1998, English started his law enforcement career with Hood River County Community Corrections as a parole and probation officer. In 2000, he transferred to the Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy. Matt was assigned to investigations in 2009 where he worked as a detective investigating major crimes. During his tenure at the Sheriff’s Office English served as a Training Instructor, Traffic Grant Project Coordinator, Public Information Officer and as a Part-Time Instructor at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.

In 2012, English was elected as Hood River County’s 9th Sheriff and started his first term on January 7, 2013. He was subsequently re-elected in 2016 and 2020 and is running unopposed for his fourth term. Sheriff English was the 2018 President of the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) and the 2020 Oregon Sheriff of the Year. Serving on more than twenty boards and committees at the national, state, regional, and local levels, he is the current chair of Oregon’s Board on Public Safety Standards and Training and co-chairs the Western State Sheriff’s Association Public Lands and Government Affairs Committee.

Matt and his wife Robbie have a small hobby farm in Parkdale and have twin adult children. Matt has been active in the Hood River Valley, volunteering in the schools, coaching little league and community-ed basketball.