OLYMPIA, Wash. — At 29 years old, Derek Sanders has been told he’s the youngest sheriff ever in Thurston County, if not Washington state history.
Sanders, whose father is Black, also said he is the first mixed-race sheriff in the county, something that made his family proud.
“That's quite an accomplishment, but at the same time I tell them I haven't accomplished anything yet. There's a lot of stuff to get done,” said Sanders.
Voters in November elected Sanders, a six-year Thurston County deputy, over incumbent John Snaza.
Sanders, in an interview before being sworn-in on Tuesday, said his priorities include: increasing drunk driving patrols, helping domestic violence survivors, and putting burglary suspects in jail, something that the county stopped doing to reduce the jail population over COVID concerns.
"We're going to be looking at making burglary a bookable offense immediately,” said Sanders. “That's something they haven't been able to book for for almost three years now. Which is a huge issue.”
Sanders said he also wants to recruit more women and people of color to the department.
Earlier in the year, Sanders received a verbal warning for comments he made regarding a female co-worker.
In June, Sanders applied to be a K-9 handler, but the job was given to a female co-worker.
An internal investigation determined Sanders suggested to others the woman only got the job because people who made the hiring decision wanted to have sex with her.
Sanders said he apologized and has a good working relationship with the co-worker.
His predecessor, Snaza, first elected in 2011, has been in law enforcement longer than Sanders has been alive.
“I wish for success for the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, and for a safe new year,” said Snaza in a text message to KING 5 News Friday.