Byrd for Sheriff

I’m proud to publicly endorse Rich Byrd for Pacific County Sheriff.

After spending 30 years in law enforcement, in South Bend Police, Long Beach Police and Raymond Police, including 13 years as Chief of Police for the Raymond Police Department, I know what effective leadership looks like. It’s not about politics or personalities. It’s about experience, integrity, and a genuine commitment to serving your community.

Rich Byrd brings exactly that.

Rich is a lifelong Pacific County resident and a retired Lieutenant from the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, where he served more than two decades in corrections, patrol, narcotics enforcement, direct first level supervision, and command leadership. He also served his country honorably in the United States Army. That combination of local knowledge, professional experience, and service mindset matters, especially in a rural county like ours.

One of Rich’s greatest strengths is his ability to bring people together. Public safety in Pacific County depends on strong cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office, local police departments, state agencies, and regional partners. Rich understands the importance of collaboration and mutual respect between agencies. He has the experience and temperament to rebuild relationships, strengthen communication, and ensure everyone is working toward the same goal, collaborating to keep our communities safe.

During my career, I saw firsthand how important strong relationships are between agencies and the communities we serve. Rich understands that public safety works best when leaders build trust, support their officers/deputies, and keep the focus where it belongs, on protecting the people, not creating division.

Pacific County deserves steady, experienced leadership grounded in professionalism and accountability. In my opinion, Rich Byrd has the background, temperament, and commitment needed to lead the Sheriff’s Office forward and restore relationships and collaboration in our law enforcement community.

I strongly encourage voters to support Rich Byrd for Pacific County Sheriff.

Chuck Spoor
Retired Chief of Police
Raymond Police Department 

I strongly recommend voting for Rich Byrd for Pacific County Sheriff, and I’d like to share why.
From 1999-2014, I worked at Crisis Support Network, first as an advocate and later as the
executive director for eight years. In 2018, I became the executive director of Hope Alliance in Lewis County. My career has been dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and ensuring that systems around then prioritize safety, dignity and accountability.
About twenty years ago, Rich, a deputy prosecutor, and I attended a three-day training in Wenatchee with the goal of strengthening collaboration between the prosecutor’s office, law enforcement and victim services. We wanted to build a coordinated response that truly centered victim safety and best practices. I still remember the long car ride to Wenatchee, discussing case scenarios we each worked on and exploring how law enforcement, prosecution, and advocacy could work together more effectively.
On the way home, I recall Rich sharing several insights he gained during that Wenatchee
training, and how genuinely surprised he was to learn better, research-supported methods for
determining the primary aggressor in complex domestic violence cases. What stood out to me was not just his reaction, but his resolve. He made a clear commitment to do better-and he
followed through.
After that training, I saw Rich consistently apply what he had learned. It showed in the way he interacted with victims with a clearer understanding of the dynamics at play. Victims felt believed, and safer because of the way he carried out his role.
I was genuinely dismayed when Rich stepped away from law enforcement for a time. To this
day, I still believe he was the most effective and compassionate law enforcement professional I
have ever worked with on domestic violence and sexual assault cases. His willingness to grow, collaborate, and strengthen victim- safety made a meaningful difference to the many he served and protected. Vote Byrd!

“Rich, you had a profound impact on my life… I was part of the group that made some horrendous mistakes back then, including the vandalism at the Ilwaco cemetery. I’ve since made amends through community service and letters to the families, but the impact you made on me and those around me truly changed me.

Today, I’m a father of two amazing young men—one a college grad working for Intel and the other a strong, morally capable 18-year-old. My wife, Teeda, and I have been together for over 20 years.

At 40, I’m now entering law enforcement myself. I hope to work in juvenile corrections and someday make the same impact on kids making wrong choices that you made on me. You’re a damn good man worth his salt. I’m rooting for you.”