Chelan Co. Sheriff Aiming for Fourth Term

Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett is running for re-election on the November ballot.

Burnett was first elected to the position in 2010 and is seeking a fourth term as the county’s top law enforcement officer.

The 55-year-old Republican says he considered not making a run for the post again but his desire to continue serving the citizens of the county where he was born and raised won out in the end.

“This job does not get easier as time goes on. There are a lot of things that are much more difficult to navigate today than there ever was when I first took over as the elected sheriff. At the same time, it’s an amazingly-rewarding career.”

During his campaign for re-election, Burnett has emphasized the need to further strengthen narcotics enforcement within the county and the importance of continuing to expand mental health services for those who the sheriff’s office both contacts and employs.

Burnett is also answering his critics about claims that he is responsible for a high rate of employee turnover and a poor working environment at the agency with a great amount of transparency.

“I’ll make the statement straight upfront by saying myself and my administration haven’t been perfect. We’ve made mistakes. But we re-evaluate just like any good team does to see what we did well and where we missed the mark so we can go back and make it better.”

Burnett is running against  fellow Republican Mike Morrison, who is also one of his deputies at the sheriff’s office.

In the August primary, Burnett defeated Morrison by carrying 55 percent of the vote.