Clackamas County's new interim sheriff, whose office provides law enforcement services to Lake Oswego, West Linn and Oregon City, was named in a 2018 whistleblower lawsuit alleging he tried to cover up a detective's failure to investigate more than 50 cases, many involving sexual assault and child abuse.

The county settled that lawsuit for $235,000.

James Rhodes was sworn in Monday, Aug. 3, as the county's 34th sheriff after the Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on July 28 to appoint him, as we reported July 29. He will serve until voters elect a permanent sheriff in November.

Now, public records and community scrutiny are drawing attention to details the board did not publicly address before the vote: the whistleblower case and campaign donations from the same police union that lobbied for Rhodes' appointment.

The 2018 lawsuit

Then-Sgt. Matt Swanson filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging Rhodes, then a captain, pressured him to revise an internal affairs complaint against Detective Jeff Green. Green pleaded guilty in June 2017 to two counts of second-degree official misconduct for failing to investigate child abuse allegations, according to an independent review the county commissioned. That review found Green's neglect encompassed more than 50 cases, many involving rape and child abuse, with some statutes of limitations expiring as a result.

Swanson alleged Rhodes asked to meet him behind a public works building while Swanson was on patrol and "attempted to bully and coerce" him into covering up problems with Green, according to The Oregonian. The county settled Swanson's claims for $235,000 in September 2018.

Union donations to commissioners who voted yes

State campaign finance records show the Clackamas County Peace Officers Association donated to three of the four commissioners who voted for Rhodes ahead of the May 2026 primary: Commissioner Ben West received $30,000, Commissioner Paul Savas received $15,000 and Commissioner Diana Helm received $3,000.

The same union sent a letter to the board on July 28, the day of the vote, urging Rhodes' appointment. CCPOA President Ben Wiley signed the letter calling for "swift and decisive action."

Savas cited the union's endorsement as a key factor. "This says a lot to me. This is impactful," he said at the July 28 meeting, according to the Wilsonville Spokesman.

Roberts' lone dissent

Board Chair Craig Roberts cast the only no vote, arguing the board should have conducted an open process. Roberts, a former county sheriff, demoted Rhodes from chief deputy to captain in 2019, according to OPB. Rhodes retired in 2021.

Commissioner West said at the meeting that Rhodes intends to run for the permanent sheriff position in November, giving him the incumbency advantage Roberts warned against. The filing period runs from Aug. 3 through Aug. 25.

Why it matters locally

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office serves residents of Lake Oswego, West Linn, Oregon City and unincorporated areas of the county. The office also faces a potential loss of 34 patrol deputies and 84 jail beds tied to a rejected public safety levy; the board agreed July 28 to wait until May 2027 before putting the measure back on the ballot.

Neither Rhodes nor the commissioners who voted for him have publicly addressed the conflict-of-interest questions raised by the union donations. The Oswego Chronicle was unable to reach Rhodes' office for comment.

The Tuesday, Nov. 3, sheriff's election will give voters the final say. Undersheriff Brad O'Neil has also announced plans to run.