Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese Is Running To Stay On As Sheriff

Reese says he's committed to reducing gun violence and addressing drug addiction, mental illness, and homelessness.

Mike Reese (WW Staff)
By Katie Shepherd

Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese filed Wednesday to run to stay on as sheriff in the May 2018 primary.

Reese took over a sheriff in August, 2016, when former sheriff Dan Stanton retired amid questions about the use of force in jails, his personal spending and how he treated employees.

Reese has presented himself as a champion of Oregon and Portland's sanctuary policies that separate local law enforcement practices from federal immigration enforcement. Two weeks ago, he took to Twitter to excoriate U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for denouncing a lack of cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents.

"We need all Mult Co residents, no matter their immigration status, to feel confident going to law enforcement w/o worry of deportation," he tweeted. "Local law enforcement should be focused on building trust within the community, not doing the job of federal immigration enforcement."

On a website announcing his campaign to return as sheriff, Reese highlighted two other policy goals for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office: reducing gun violence and addressing addiction, mental health and homelessness.

"We cannot arrest our way out of deeper problems rooted in poverty and under-investment in mental health services and substance abuse treatment," Reese said in a statement.

Reese is running unopposed as of Wednesday afternoon. Maria Garcia and Susheela Jayapal are running for County Commissioner for District 2 and Jennifer McGuirk and Mark Ulanowicz are running for County Auditor. No one has yet filed to run for Multnomah County Chair.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.