Curry County, OR. — State Rep. Court Boice called on Curry County Sheriff John Ward to resign Sunday, pointing to findings from county oversight efforts, an ongoing dispute over public records and a reported federal inquiry into contributions made to the Sheriff’s Office.
Boice, a Republican representing House District 1, said the record assembled by the Curry County Board of Commissioners demonstrates conduct incompatible with Ward’s position as the county’s top law enforcement official.
“The people of Curry County deserve a Sheriff who is accountable to the laws of our state, not one who places himself above those,” Boice said in an Aug. 17 statement.
According to Boice, the county board has spent more than two years pursuing oversight through litigation, an internal review, an independent investigation and referrals to state and federal agencies.
Boice said an independent investigation commissioned by the board found Ward had engaged in deceit, dishonesty, misrepresentation, omission of material facts and actions that undermined the proper exercise of his office.
The representative also accused Ward of refusing for approximately 10 months to comply with a Curry County Circuit Court order directing him to release financial and administrative records to the board.
Boice said the FBI has opened an inquiry involving contributions from the John G. Atkins Foundation to the Sheriff’s Office. The inquiry reportedly concerns equipment purchases that may have bypassed county procurement requirements and money allegedly directed into an unauthorized account outside the county’s financial controls.
The statement also cited allegations that Ward used public money for personal benefit and failed to properly supervise a deputy who was later involved in two separate shootings in Gold Beach. Boice did not identify the deputy or provide additional details about those incidents.
The Board of Commissioners has referred portions of its record to the Curry County district attorney, requested state review of Ward’s law enforcement certification and forwarded evidence to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, according to the release.
Boice also endorsed a third party fiscal and operational audit of the Sheriff’s Office. Having served as a Curry County commissioner from 2017 through 2022, he called for scrutiny of county spending during his own tenure, including Road Fund Reserve expenditures supporting the Sheriff’s Office.
He also requested a review of American Rescue Plan funds allocated to the Curry County Jail and other recipients, along with other county spending.
Boice said accountability and transparency problems between the Sheriff’s Office, commissioners and county residents have persisted for at least eight years. He urged people close to Ward to cooperate fully with investigators.
All three Curry County commissioners — Chair Jay Trost, Vice Chair Patrick Hollinger and Commissioner Lynn Coker — have also called for Ward to leave office, according to Boice’s statement.
Boice said Ward should step down so an interim sheriff can be appointed while the investigations and oversight proceedings continue. He pledged to support lawful state or local measures intended to strengthen counties’ ability to hold an uncooperative sheriff accountable.
“Accountability is not a partisan value — it is the foundation of public trust,” Boice said. “Curry County has waited long enough.”
The allegations described in Boice’s release have not been adjudicated in court. Ward’s response to the resignation demand was not included in the statement.
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