Q&A: Walla Walla County Sheriff candidates make their case for election

After Walla Walla County Sheriff Mark Crider announced he would retire following eight years on the job, two of his employees announced they would run for position.

Ashley Daschofsky and Richard Schram have both worked for the Sheriff's Office for at least a decade, both have spent most or all of their lives in Walla Walla County and both are careerlong law enforcement officers. Both are running as Republicans.

They even had a lot of the same answers when they took part in a recent candidate forum.

But they aren't as alike as they may seem.

Schram is part of Crider's command staff, serving as the office's chief deputy. He's a graduate of the FBI National Academy and touts his experience in law enforcement leadership.

Daschofsky's experience comes from his roles as an officer and deputy - jobs he calls the most important and is where he plans to lead the department from, if elected. He says he plans on spending more time on the streets and less time in an office.

Perhaps their biggest difference lies in how they feel about the current direction of the Sheriff's Office. The two talked about this and more in a Q&A.

The candidates were given a 150-word-count limit on each response. The responses are presented below in alphabetical order by last name.

The sheriff is the highest-paid elected official in Walla Walla County, earning a salary of $156,563 in 2027, according to a county resolution from 2024 that set the salaries.

Tell us about your experience and why you think you should be the next sheriff.

Ashley Daschofsky: I am a lifelong Walla Walla resident with roots here going back many generations. I did not end up in Walla Walla by coincidence or happenstance, I am exactly where I've always wanted to be, serving the community I grew up in.

I am a Marine Corps veteran whose time in the military taught me what real leadership from the front, not behind a desk, looks like, which is something that can only be learned through military experience, and not from PowerPoint leadership classes.

My proactive policing record and multiple traffic safety awards are proof positive that I am committed to public safety and cleaning up our community of those who wish to do harm, and are not political talking points I just made up to win an election, it's who I am and who I will continue to be.

Richard Schram: Over 23 years with the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office, serving as a corrections deputy, patrol deputy, sergeant and now chief deputy, prepared me to lead as sheriff. With over eight years in command-level leadership, I have managed operations, deputies, detectives, training, hiring, grants and policy. I am trusted to lead our highest-liability missions in the county and cities of Walla Walla and College Place as SWAT commander.

The role of sheriff requires proven leadership and trust. I am endorsed by the retiring sheriff, undersheriff and Walla Walla Commissioned Deputies Association. That support from those who know the office best and know both candidates, reflects their absolute trust in my leadership and qualifications.

I understand the needs of the Sheriff's Office and the responsibility of serving every resident of Walla Walla County. I have the experience, qualifications and unwavering commitment needed to keep our community safe and well-served.

What is an important issue facing the sheriff's office, and why are you the person to address it?

Daschofsky: Over the last eight years the Sheriff's Office has continued to lose employees as fast as we have hired them, with no solutions being provided, and only the excuse of pay and benefits being given by command staff.

It's time to change the current culture to one where people want to stay regardless of the pay and benefits excuse which is always going to be a factor in a smaller rural county where budgets are tight. The current command staff have had eight years to correct this but have continued to fail, costing the taxpayers more and more money as we must continue hiring and training new employees. What we are doing is not working, and it's time for a change at the command staff level, otherwise it's just going to continue.

Schram: The critical issue facing my office is a constrained county budget. Both our unions are currently out of contract. Without competitive wages, we face turnover despite a fantastic internal culture where people genuinely want to work.

The reality is current county revenue cannot bridge this gap alone. The long-term solution requires economic growth.

I'm the right person to address this because I have the credibility and professional relationships with commissioners and department heads to collaboratively balance our budget. My command experience has taught me public safety and economic prosperity are directly linked. As sheriff, my focus is building upon our culture by empowering our team and maintaining strong relationships to retain dedicated staff.

Externally, my priority is keeping Walla Walla County safe to encourage local business growth. A thriving local economy generates the revenue necessary to fund competitive contracts, allowing us to retain top talent and keep our community secure.

Immigration enforcement is a hot topic for a lot of people, both in the Valley and beyond it. While state law limits how local law enforcement can assist agencies like ICE, there has been at least one sheriff in the state who said he will help ICE if asked. What would you do if asked to assist ICE with immigration enforcement in Walla Walla County?

Daschofsky: Help from our office will be limited to public safety and stopping incidents of violence only, and that will apply to both our residents and the ICE agents themselves.

A common misconception is that ICE agents are police officers, which they are not. While they may be a form of law enforcement, comparing them to police officers is like comparing a brain surgeon to a foot surgeon. Both may be surgeons, but each requires a completely different skill set, which is why you see ICE agents make the mistakes they are making.

Street level community police work is a completely different skill set, one which they are not experienced in. ICE agents should they come to our community will be held to the same standards I will hold my deputies to, where people are treated properly regardless of background.

Schram: As sheriff, I will continue to uphold state law and Sheriff's Office policy. Our federal partners know we will not plan or carry out missions to apprehend people for ICE detainers. The role of local law enforcement is to enforce state and local ordinance. Washington law clearly directs local law enforcement and prohibits us from enforcing civil immigration detainers.

The mission of the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office is to safeguard the lives, property and rights of the people we serve; reduce the incidence and fear of crime; and to enhance public safety while working with our community to improve their quality of life.

This mission is for all, and it is my priority to bring our whole community together. I will continue the work that my partners and I have been doing to reinforce this message throughout our entire community to build their trust.

At a recent candidate forum, you and your opponent had similar answers to several questions asked of you. What is an area where you differ from your opponent, and what makes you the better candidate?

Daschofsky: I am a lifelong Walla Walla resident with family roots going back many generations in the Walla Walla area. Being sheriff is not about a title, or a pay raise for me, it's personal.

As such, I intend on leading the Sheriff's Office from the front, on the street, and in your communities, not hiding behind a desk in an office. My opponent has already had many years as a part of the current command staff to do all of the things he says he's going to do.

Once elected I intend on significantly reducing command staff level positions and repurposing those already existing salaries into programs like victim advocates and code enforcement which the Sheriff's Office currently does not provide, which will have a much greater impact on the daily lives of our residents over people sitting in offices.

Schram: Our critical differences are leadership experience and industry credibility. The sheriff's role is an executive leadership role and requires more than frontline law enforcement experience. It requires people skills, managing personalities, a complex budget, policy, agencywide operations, public trust, and difficult decisions.

In my 23 years with the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office, I have consistently earned increasing responsibilities. I earned specialty positions, trainer roles, was promoted to sergeant and was appointed Chief Deputy by two sheriffs. I have over 15 years of leadership experience and eight years of command-level leadership, directly managing operations of this specific agency.

I focus on team empowerment, accountability and building strong relationships. This is exactly why I am endorsed by the retiring sheriff, undersheriff and Walla Walla Commissioned Deputies Association. I offer proven command leadership, a deep understanding of our agency's needs and the absolute trust of the deputies who know this office best.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 10:03 PM.