Okanogan County Swears In Jodie Barcus As Interim Sheriff

This week, Jodie Barcus was sworn in to be the agency's interim sheriff at a special ceremony presided over by Okanogan County Superior Court Judge Kathryn Burke.

Barcus, who currently serves as Chief Criminal Deputy for the Sheriff's Office, is taking over for outgoing Sheriff Paul Budrow, who is leaving to take the position of Police Chief for the city of Twisp.

Barcus is a 16-year law enforcement veteran who began her career as an officer with the Colville Tribal Police Department in 2009 and has spent the past nine years with the Sheriff's Office.

In a social media post on Thursday, Sheriff's officials say at her oath-of-office ceremony, Barcus expressed a readiness to serve the citizens of Okanogan County through her temporary role as sheriff.

She is also running in this November's general election to become the next permanent sheriff in Okanogan County, and thus far has only one challenger for the position in fellow Sheriff's Deputy Gisberth Gonzalez, who has been with the agency for 19 years.