Capt. William Bailey, who ran for Deschutes County sheriff in 2024, has been fired from the sheriff’s office following an internal investigation tied to a radio interview he gave last year.
Central Oregon Daily News confirmed with county officials that Bailey no longer works for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. His final day on the job was March 2, bringing an end to what had been reported as a 25-year career in the department. According to OPB, Bailey has until March 17 to file an appeal against the termination.
Bailey previously ran for sheriff in 2024 but lost the race to Kent van der Kamp. The controversy surrounding Bailey’s dismissal reportedly stems from a radio appearance he made months after that election.
In June 2025, Bailey appeared on the KNCP radio station, where he discussed issues within the sheriff’s office. During the interview, he was critical of van der Kamp and claimed that office morale was “broken.”
The remarks came during a period when van der Kamp himself was under intense scrutiny. At the time, the sheriff faced accusations that he had lied about his educational background while under oath in earlier legal matters. The allegations led Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels to bar van der Kamp from testifying in criminal cases.
Following Bailey’s radio comments, van der Kamp launched an internal investigation to determine whether the captain had violated departmental policies regarding speech and public statements. According to OPB, an outside investigator was brought in to review the situation.
The investigation concluded in July 2025 that Bailey had violated department policy. However, the situation within the sheriff’s office continued to shift. Only weeks after the investigation concluded, van der Kamp resigned amid the ongoing scandal. Later, the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training stripped him of his law enforcement certification.
After van der Kamp’s resignation, Ty Rupert was appointed interim sheriff. Rather than immediately acting on the original investigation into Bailey, Rupert reportedly paused the process and asked the Deschutes County Administrator’s Office to conduct a new review of the case.
According to reports, the second investigation reached the same conclusion as the first, determining that Bailey had violated departmental policies. Despite the outcome, the sheriff’s office has declined to comment publicly on the decision to terminate Bailey.
Bailey’s supporters have also voiced concern over the firing. His former campaign manager, Jennifer Stephens, criticised the move in a statement provided to Central Oregon Daily.
“I was shocked to hear William Bailey was fully terminated for appearing on a radio show to address community questions and concerns of significant and serious public interest. William Bailey appearing on the radio show after an overwhelming number of requests to do so, in a time of chaos and uncertainty for the sheriff’s office, was a step towards reassurance and restoring public trust.”
Meanwhile, interim sheriff Ty Rupert is running in the May 19 primary election to retain the position permanently. He faces a challenge from Lt. James McLaughlin.
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