Over the past several months, I’ve attended candidate forums, listened to debates, read endorsement letters, and taken the time to evaluate each candidate running for Lewis County sheriff.
I appreciate everyone who has stepped forward to serve our community.
I’ll be honest—I wasn’t originally planning to support Matt McKnight. Early on, I found myself leaning toward another candidate. But I’ve always believed it’s important to keep an open mind, gather the facts, ask questions and be willing to change your opinion when new information comes to light.
As the campaign progressed, I paid close attention to the issues being discussed, particularly those involving leadership decisions and allegations of policy violations.
After serving 31 years in law enforcement, including as both a chief of police and deputy chief of police, I know firsthand that some of the most difficult decisions a law enforcement leader will ever make involve personnel matters. Those decisions affect careers, families, public confidence and the culture of an organization. They are never made lightly and are typically made only after consultation with legal counsel, human resources and other executive leaders.
One lesson I’ve learned throughout my career is that there are always three sides to every story — his side, her side and the truth.
Because of that, I refuse to base my opinions solely on headlines, social media or campaign rhetoric. Instead, I chose to sit down and speak with Matt McKnight.
What I found was a professional, approachable, knowledgeable and transparent leader who genuinely cares about the future of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
He answered difficult questions directly and demonstrated a clear vision for leading the agency with integrity, accountability and professionalism.
I believe Matt has the experience to successfully lead the sheriff’s office while building strong relationships with deputies, corrections staff, civilian employees, the Board of Lewis County Commissioners, county departments, community organizations and our law enforcement partners.
Effective leadership is about more than enforcing the law — it is about earning trust, setting high standards, supporting employees, making difficult decisions when necessary and ensuring the sheriff’s office remains accountable to the citizens it serves.
I respect the opinions of those supporting other candidates, and I encourage every voter to do their own research rather than relying solely on endorsements, including mine. Attend the forums, ask the difficult questions and evaluate each candidate’s experience, judgment and leadership qualities.
After doing exactly that, I reached my own conclusion. I believe Matt McKnight is the best qualified candidate to lead the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office into the future and to serve the citizens of Lewis County with honesty, transparency, professionalism and unwavering integrity.
For those reasons, I am proud to support Matt McKnight for Lewis County sheriff.
Pat Timmins
Chehalis
