UNION COUNTY — Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen believes his experience, passion for the job and love for the community set him apart in the November 2024 race for the highest-ranking law enforcement job in the county.

After completing his first term as sheriff, Bowen is seeking reelection. Bowen took office in 2021 after receiving 64.9% of the vote in the 2020 election. On Nov. 5 of this year, he is running for a second term against challenger Shane Rollins of Cove.

“I do this, and I’ve done this, because I fell in love with it,” Bowen said.

Bowen’s top priorities are transparency in the sheriff’s office and continuing to find local solutions to drug addiction and mental health issues in Union County.

He believes that it is important that Union County residents know where their tax dollars are going and how resources are used. As part of that, he stressed the importance of building connections between the public and the sheriff’s office and to ensure that members of the public can share their input and know they are being heard.

Bowen said that the last four years as sheriff have taught him the importance of listening to everyone in Union County who is willing to speak with him. He knows some people are upset with some of his choices, such as putting “In God We Trust” on patrol vehicles and an August 2021 letter he sent to then-Gov. Kate Brown condemning vaccine mandates and advocating for freedom of choice in getting vaccinated.

So, he said, he’s made it a priority to seek out and talk with people who disagree with his stances — and to learn from those discussions.

“I have learned to go out and seek different opinions and apply those to this office,” he said.

So Bowen was glad when he was asked if he would speak with a small group of residents who disagreed with some of his stances. He said it was an eye-opening experience to hear their questions and learn about their concerns. Bowen believes it was a beneficial experience all around.

He wants people to know where he stands, but Bowen also wants residents to know he’s willing to listen and is open to working together.

“I just want to encourage people to know that my door is always open. I’m always receptive and willing to hear a different point of view,” Bowen said. “The day I stop learning or being open to other ideas or thoughts is the day I walk out the door.”

His other top priorities involve drug addiction and mental health issues. Bowen said that while law enforcement’s hands were tied by the state when it came to Ballot Measure 110, which for a time decriminalized possession of certain types of drugs, his office has been working on the prevention front and to help promote accountability.

Working with youth is an important place to start, Bowen said. He pointed to the BEST Program, which came out of the DARE Program, but is more specialized to Union County.

In addition, over the past year, Bowen has been working to help bring the nonprofit organization Friends of the Children to Union County. The program aims to end generational poverty by providing professional mentors to children, particularly those who face multiple systemic obstacles, from the time they are in kindergarten through high school graduation.

Then there is the Union County Drug Task Force, which was revived this year.

“Our drug task force, that’s a prime example of prevention and accountability,” Bowen said.

Bowen also pointed to the strides the jail has made with Sublocade, a drug used to treat opioids. At the start of 2024, the Union County Sheriff’s Office received a grant to provide Sublocade rather than Suboxone to adults in custody to help overcome opioid addictions. (Suboxone is effective in reducing the cravings for opioids, but administering it is a daily and time-consuming process. In comparison, Sublocade can be administered with a single injection once a month, but is more expensive.)

Bowen said that adults in custody can receive an injection of Sublocade a few days before they get out of jail. This helps inmates to be sober and level-headed as they are released, which helps get them headed in the right direction and gives them time to line up treatment options outside of the jail.

“We’re the only jail in the state that is providing Sublocade,” Bowen said. “This is a great program,” with state support and funding backing it up.

Age: 48

Residence: La Grande

Relevant experience: Bowen joined the Union County Sheriff’s Office as a volunteer around 2010. He was hired full-time in 2011 and graduated from the academy in 2012. He was a patrol deputy for four years before being promoted to a school resource officer, which he did for six years. After winning his race for Union County sheriff in 2020, Bowen was sworn into office in 2021.

Bowen said that during his time as sheriff he’s worked collaboratively with elected officials, such as the Union County Board of Commissioners, commissioners from surrounding counties and state representatives. He is also a part of the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association.

Family: Bowen and his wife, Tish, have two daughters. Bowen also has a son from a previous relationship.

Hobbies: Spending time with his family and hunting.