MEET YOUR SHERIFF
A CLACKAMAS COUNTY LIFE
His family is here. His career was built here.
And for nearly three decades, Sheriff James Rhodes has served the community that raised him.
ROOTS
RAISED HERE.
James grew up in the Oak Grove area of unincorporated Clackamas County in the same house at Concord and Oatfield Roads. His father was a Marine veteran, printing press operator and Boy Scout leader. His mother worked in North Clackamas School District cafeterias.
James attended Concord Elementary, Rowe Middle School and Rex Putnam High School. He became an Eagle Scout and began his law-enforcement career as a reserve police officer in Oregon City.
FAMILY
FAMILY. SERVICE. HOME.
James met Patti in 2001 while they were both working in law enforcement — James as a Clackamas County patrol deputy and Patti as an Oregon State Police trooper. They married in 2003.
Patti is a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Naval Intelligence before becoming a state trooper. Together, James and Patti raised their daughter Sarah in Clackamas County.
For Sheriff Rhodes, protecting
Clackamas County has never been abstract.
It's where his family lives, too.
SMALL BUSINESS
HE KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE PAYROLL.
For nine years, James and Patti owned and operated Oregon City Day School. Running a small business meant making payroll, carrying insurance, meeting regulatory requirements, balancing a budget, and earning the trust of families every day.
Respect the people paying the bills.
Spend carefully. Deliver what you promised.
A LEGACY WORTH PROTECTING
CONSERVING THE PEACE SINCE BEFORE OREGON WAS A STATE
Sheriff Rhodes’s favorite story isn’t about himself — it’s about the extraordinary history of the office he now leads.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office traces its roots to 1843, when Joe Meek was elected its first Sheriff, before Oregon was even a territory, much less a state. In those days, Clackamas County stretched across an enormous portion of the Oregon Country, from what is now California north into Canada and east toward Idaho and Montana. The Sheriff’s Office even predates both the New York City and Los Angeles police departments.
Today, as Clackamas County’s 34th Sheriff, Rhodes sees himself as the latest steward of a remarkable legacy — one he is deeply proud to carry forward.
After retiring from the Sheriff's Office in 2021, James didn't leave public service. He served on the Clackamas County Budget Committee, the Enhanced Law Enforcement District Advisory Board, the retiree medical trust and other community boards.
When the Sheriff's position became vacant in July 2026, the Board of County Commissioners turned to James to lead the department through a challenging time. With decades of experience inside the Sheriff's Office and years of service on the County Budget Committee, James understood both the department and the difficult work ahead. He chose to come out of retirement and return to the department he loves — and to serve the county that has always been home.