Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor to retire a month before elections
Sheriff Paul Pastor put in his three-week notice Friday. His last day will be Sept. 30.
Pastor postponed his previous plans to retire in order to help respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
He is the longest-serving sheriff in the county’s history, with more than two decades as Pierce County’s top cop.
In a letter addressed to Pierce County officials, he said it is time to step down and hand off leadership to others.
“As you are aware, it was my intention to retire earlier this year, but I felt compelled to stay on to help address COVID and other issues confronting the Department,” Pastor said in his letter. “lt is now time.”
Pastor, 71, has three more months in his term. County code grants Pierce County Council the power to fill a vacant sheriff seat.
The council is deciding how to proceed, council spokesperson Brynn Grimley said.
Pastor’s letter recommends Undersheriff Brent Bomkamp to serve as interim sheriff until voters select either Cyndie Fajardo or Ed Troyer for the position in November. Both candidates have worked at the department for more than 32 years.
The council could choose send out applications to the public to fill the seat and select the best candidate, which could be Bomkamp, or leave it vacant until after the November election, Grimley said.
Pastor was permanently appointed to the post in 2001 and was elected to the post in 2008, when Pierce County reverted back electing sheriffs. Pastor ran unopposed in his last two terms.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 11:00 AM.
