Pierce County Sheriff Swank's first year in office

This list of articles looks at Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank's first year in office, highlighting the conflicts and policy decisions that define his tenure. Common themes include Swank's disputes with county officials and his public communication, including social media posts.

Swank clashed with Prosecutor Mary Robnett. Their disputes escalated to legal action involving Joan Mell, a private lawyer Swank wished to engage against procedural norms.

Pierce County Sheriff candidate Keith Swank chats with a guest during a GOP watch party, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Lakewood, Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 1: HE SAYS GOD TOLD HIM TO RUN. NOW EX-SEATTLE COP WILL BE PIERCE COUNTY’S NEW SHERIFF

The latest election results show Keith Swank, 56, leading Patti Jackson in the race to replace Ed Troyer. | Published November 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Newly elected Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank is sworn in at a swearing-in ceremony at Frontier Park Lodge, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Graham Wash.

NO. 2: KEITH SWANK SWORN IN AS PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF, VOWS TO ‘CRACK DOWN’ ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Former Seattle police captain Keith Swank took his oath of office and was sworn in as sheriff in a crowded room Wednesday evening in Graham. | Published January 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Sheriff Keith Swank (third from left, front) is shown in an undated photograph with other sheriffs from Washington state during a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, in Washington, D.C.

NO. 3: PIERCE COUNTY EXEC, SHERIFF AT ODDS OVER WORKING WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES

The Pierce County Council is considering a resolution reaffirming its compliance with the Keep Washington Working Act. | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

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Pierce County Prosecutor Mary Robnett (left) and Sheriff Keith Swank are shown in a composite image. By Brian Hayes

NO. 4: PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF SWANK TO PROSECUTOR ROBNETT: ‘YOU ARE MY PERIL’

A court case over a private attorney providing legal advice to the sheriff shows a fractured relationship between the two top elected officials. | Published May 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Newly elected Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank gives remarks after being sworn in in at a swearing-in ceremony at Frontier Park Lodge, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Graham Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 5: PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF WANTS TO WORK WITH ICE. WA LAW SAYS HE CAN’T. HERE’S WHY

The News Tribune spoke with an outside legal expert on local laws. | Published June 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

Joan Mell, right, looks toward the judge during a hearing for a civil case where Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett is seeking to bar Mell from acting as Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank’s attorney on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 6: FIGHT BETWEEN PIERCE SHERIFF, PROSECUTOR LANDS IN COURT. HERE’S WHAT JUDGE SAID

Sheriff Keith Swank did not like the ruling, calling it “terrible.” | Published June 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Cadets with the Washington State Patrol interrupted the Pride event on Wednesday, June 4, on their way to their graduation ceremony. WSP later issued a formal apology. By Steve Bloom

NO. 7: PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF SCOFFS AT WSP’S APOLOGY FOR DISRUPTING PRIDE FLAG CEREMONY

A flag-raising event Wednesday at the state Capitol building in Olympia was inadvertently interrupted by state troopers. | Published June 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Defense attorney Brett Purtzer, from left, Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank, and Joan Mell talk in the hallway during a brief recess in a hearing for a civil case where Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett is seeking to bar Mell from acting as Swank’s attorney on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 8: PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF USED PRIVATE LAWYER FOR OFFICIAL WORK. WHO PAYS THE BILL?

Sheriff Keith Swank’s conflicts with other elected officials have roped in two attorneys and portend more lawsuits. | Published July 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

NO. 9: SHE’S SUED PIERCE COUNTY OVER AND OVER. CAN SHE TAKE A JOB ADVISING ITS SHERIFF?

“I hope she takes it. She is perfect for the job,” Sheriff Keith Swank wrote in a post on X last week. | Published July 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank sits in the gallery for a hearing in a civil case where Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett is seeking to bar Joan Mell from acting as Swank’s attorney on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 10: TIMELINE: PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF KEITH SWANK’S FEUDS WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS

Keith Swank, a former Seattle police captain, was elected sheriff of Pierce County in the 2024 election, replacing former Sheriff Ed Troyer. | Published July 31, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett sits in the gallery for a hearing in a civil case where Robnett is seeking to bar Joan Mell from acting as Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank’s attorney on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 11: PIERCE COUNTY PROSECUTOR SAYS LAWYER’S EFFORTS TO REPRESENT SHERIFF ARE CRIMINAL

Attorneys for Pierce County Prosecutor Mary Robnett said in a court filing on July 30 that the actions of a private lawyer seeking to represent Sheriff Keith Swank in his disputes with county officials are tantamount to a misdemeanor crime, raising tensions in the ongoing legal battle. | Published August 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank speaks with the News Tribune after an injunction was placed in a hearing in a civil case where Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett is seeking to bar Joan Mell from acting as Swank’s attorney on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 12: RECORDS SHOW PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF KEITH SWANK’S TRIPS IN U.S. AND ABROAD

Since January, Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank has traveled to policing conferences, visited Washington, D.C. | Published August 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

King County Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan presides over a civil case where Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett is seeking to bar Joan Mell from acting as Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank’s attorney on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 13: PRIVATE LAWYER WARNED OVER ATTEMPTS TO ADVISE PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF IN EMAILS

A King County judge said Thursday he was very troubled by emails that showed a private attorney had tried to give Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank legal advice this week in violation of his orders. | Published August 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank speaks during a press conference on the takedown of a drug-trafficking ring on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, at the Tacoma Police Department in Tacoma, Wash. The drug-trafficking ring was the subject of an 18-month investigation, including a two-month wiretap, led by the FBI. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 14: SHERIFF SWANK’S MEETING WITH ICE OFFICIALS DRAWS ATTENTION OF STATE AG

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank had a “meet and greet” in April with U.S. | Published September 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank speaks at a press conference about the charging of Maj. Chadwick Dickerson on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. Dickerson was charged Wednesday with two counts of DUI vehicular assault for crashing his pickup into an SUV near Graham. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 15: CAMERAS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON AT CRASH SCENE WITH PIERCE COUNTY MAJOR, SWANK SAYS

All Pierce County Sheriff’s Office personnel who went to the scene of a two-car collision allegedly caused by Maj. | Published October 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank holds a press conference about the charging of Maj. Chadwick Dickerson on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. Dickerson was charged Wednesday with two counts of DUI vehicular assault for crashing his pickup into an SUV near Graham. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 16: ‘COULD BE PROBLEMATIC.’ DID SHERIFF SWANK ALTER RECORDS SUBMITTED TO THE COURT?

A King County judge has said that Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank appears to have altered text messages he was asked to hand over to a public records officer in an effort to remove messages that could be perceived as offensive. | Published October 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.