October 1, the Pierce County Council appointed Pierce County Undersheriff Brent Bomkamp as Pierce County Sheriff to fill the vacancy left by Sheriff Paul Pastor, who retired Sept. 30, 2020.

Pierce County Code requires the Council appoint someone to serve as sheriff in the event the position is vacated before the term is up.

Bomkamp will act as sheriff until November when voters elect the next Pierce County Sheriff. Once the election is certified, the newly elected sheriff will take office to fill the remainder of Pastor’s term before beginning their term Jan. 1, 2021.

As undersheriff, Bomkamp worked directly with Pastor, the department’s senior leadership team and other county departments outside the sheriff’s office. The Council appointed him to the position because he brings continuity to the department.

“Undersheriff Bomkamp has made his way up through the ranks of the department over the three decades he has served in Pierce County,” said Council Vice Chairman Dave Morell, who chaired the ad hoc committee to appoint the sheriff.

“We chose Bomkamp for his qualifications, his commitment to maintain the existing leadership team within the department, his strong relationships within the county and his knowledge of the issues currently facing the department.”

Bomkamp joined the sheriff’s department in 1989 as patrol deputy. He held various positions within the department including bureau chief of the Administrative Services Bureau before being named undersheriff in 2017.

As sheriff Bomkamp will oversee the department’s four bureaus: Corrections, Administrative Services, Patrol and Criminal Investigations.