Deschutes County sheriff removed from state board amid allegations of lying under oath

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The sheriff of Deschutes County has been removed from the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association (OSSA) Board of Directors following accusations of misconduct and lying under oath.

The board met May 14 and unanimously voted to permanently expel Sheriff Kent van der Kamp from ever serving as an OSSA director.

The decision comes just weeks after an investigation revealed that van der Kamp was dishonest about his past, including allegedly lying about his education under oath, according to an Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) report.

Van der Kamp was under oath when he falsely claimed that he had studied at the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona, the report said. It also found that he had lied about his employment at a California police department years ago. 

In response, the DA’s office placed van der Kamp on the Brady list. This means he is no longer able to stand as a witness in any criminal trial. The list is a record of law enforcement officers or personnel with credibility issues or a history of misconduct.

In late April, van der Kamp told Central Oregon Daily he would decide within the next 90 days whether he will step down from office.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.