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Klamath Sheriff election nears for an office mired in controversy

Shane Mitchell (left), and Brian Bryson are running for Klamath County Sheriff
Shane Mitchell and Brian Bryson
Shane Mitchell (left), and Brian Bryson are running for Klamath County Sheriff

In November, Klamath County voters will have a choice for their new sheriff between Klamath County Patrol Sergeant Shane Mitchell and Brian Bryson, an operations captain at the sheriff's department. Shane is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes.

The Klamath Sheriff's Department has been a source of regional controversy around retiring Sheriff Chris Kaber, who was involved in a long fight with county commissioners over ethics and the management of his two sons, who also work at the department. A complaint filed with the state Government Ethics Commission was dismissed after a nearly year-long investigation.

JPR reporter Roman Battaglia joins the Exchange with more details.

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Mike Green is host of the Jefferson Exchange. Mike has lived in Southern Oregon for more than two decades. He is an award-winning print journalist with over 20 years experience in media, specializing in media innovation, inclusive economics and entrepreneurship.
Roman Battaglia is a regional reporter for Jefferson Public Radio. After graduating from Oregon State University, Roman came to JPR as part of the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism in 2019. He then joined Delaware Public Media as a Report For America fellow before returning to the JPR newsroom.
Natalie Golay is the Senior Producer of the Jefferson Exchange. She has a B.A. in Visual Arts, a multimedia certificate from the Vancouver Film school, and a law degree from the University of British Columbia. A communications professional for over 20 years, she is a natural storyteller with extensive audio and video production skills.