Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton
Sheriff Mark Garton
Hello and welcome to my website. Thank you for taking time to come this site, as I know your time is valuable. If you are coming to this site to learn more about me, my vision and goals for your Sheriff's Office I am honored that you are taking the time out of your day. If you are interested in helping with my campaign, you have come to the right place too! Since I have worked for Polk County for the past 19 years I know and understand the Polk County Public Safety System. I have created positive relationships with Polk County police agencies, the District Attorney's Office, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and many others. I will continue to foster those relationships so the system will work for the people of this county. This county is unique and I fully understand the position we are currently in. I will work very hard everyday to accomplish the promises that were made as part of the voter approved public safety levy. I will only be running in the general election in November of 2016. So, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions or concerns about public safety in your area, as I would be glad to talk with you.
On June 26th, 2016, the Sheriff's Office restored 24 hour patrols due to the generosity of the voters of Polk County by passing the initial public safety levy. The levy has since passed two additional times with the most recent being in May of 2023. The safety of Polk County residents is my utmost responsibility and its an honor to serve. Public trust is very important and I will not waiver on this topic. Part of trust has to do with successful and positive relationships with community partners. For many years, I have developed those personal and professional relationships in Polk County and they are key for a successful, prosperous and safe community. I will use those relationships to help the Polk County Sheriff's Office succeed.
Shortly after taking office I have created a new vision for the office. Everything that takes place has to meet the muster of this vision statement. This is the new vision: “The Polk County Sheriff’s Office provides sustainable quality programs and services that focus on the safety and security of our schools, homes, businesses and highways which contribute to the quality of life for every segment of our community.” The office of Sheriff has a long standing tradition of accountability and being a staple in our community. I believe that the Sheriff should be infused into the community and will only be successful if public trust is earned through every contact the sheriff's office makes. The public must hold the office of sheriff to a higher standard because of the responsibility and trust that is bestowed upon the position. As your sheriff, I will maintain a high level of Honor, integrity, professionalism and be respectful to everyone, all the while enforcing the laws of our state.
Voters approved measure 110 in 2021. By doing so, the measure decriminalized drug possession, including meth, heroin and fentanyl. However, with the passage of house bill 4002 in March of 2024, this bill presents a great opportunity for our county. The bill recriminalizes drug possession, but it also allows for the ability to create local substance abuse prevention programs with grant funding from the state of Oregon. I will continue to engage with community partners for this house bill to help create a program that works for Polk County, while holding people accountable