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“I have reason to believe that Mr. Vander Kamp was terminated from your agency around 1997, that he was placed on a Brady list, and that the La Mesa Police Department still maintains records related to this termination,� Nelson wrote in the April 4 public records request to the city of La Mesa.

Brady lists are often kept by prosecutors to exclude law enforcement officers from testifying in court after their truthfulness or credibility have been previously called into question. The name of the list initially came from a 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland, which mandates prosecutors to turn over any evidence that could exonerate a defendant.

Nelson added that if he was right about Vander Kamp being on a Brady list, “there is a significant risk that criminal cases he has been involved in are in jeopardy.�

Vander Kamp, a sheriff’s office sergeant and a member of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, announced his bid for Deschutes County’s top law enforcement job in October. That came after Nelson announced his retirement in July and his swift endorsement of Capt. William Bailey as his preferred successor.

Vander Kamp was unaware of Nelson’s accusations, and he said he was concerned Nelson has been “orchestrating a counter-campaign against me and several employee supporters.� He said he recently reported these concerns to Deschutes County legal counsel.

“Although disappointed that this has become the campaign, I am not surprised. It should not represent my work or my teammates’ work every day for public safety in Deschutes County,� Vander Kamp wrote in an email Saturday.

La Mesa, California

Vander Kamp worked a part-time, unpaid job at the La Mesa Police Department from February 1995 to January 1997 in San Diego County, California, according to records obtained by The ÅÝֱܽ²¥. It’s a job that hasn’t been listed on his campaign website or his candidate filing forms.

Vander Kamp was discharged from that position, according to records from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. He told The ÅÝֱܽ²¥ on Monday that he didn’t recall how he left the La Mesa Police department.

He said it was a volunteer position in which he directed traffic and people.

“It really wasn’t law enforcement,� he said.

Nelson requested the city of La Mesa turn over documents that would link Vander Kamp to use of force incidents involving death or great injury, anytime he fired his gun at another person, instances of excessive or unreasonable force, any instances of sexual assault and any documented instances of dishonesty or discrimination, among others.

The city said it found no records and dismissed Nelson’s request, documents say.

But Nelson pushed back. His correspondence with the city of La Mesa showed he was certain damaging information on Vander Kamp existed.

Nelson hired a California law firm to appeal the city’s decision, which prompted the lawsuit filed in San Diego County Superior Court on May 20. He is paying at least $750 per hour in attorney fees, according to a contract agreement obtained by The ÅÝֱܽ²¥.

Nelson would not directly discuss the lawsuit or his motives, but did respond to The ÅÝֱܽ²¥ via email.

“A citizen reported this allegation in March. Our office investigates all allegations, and during administrative investigations we seek to obtain all available information. In order to protect the integrity of administrative investigations we refrain from releasing details while the investigation is ongoing,� Nelson wrote in an email.

According to court records, a hearing was scheduled in the case for Sept. 26. Another case management conference was scheduled for Nov. 8, three days after the 2024 General Election that pits Vander Kamp against Bailey.

Background check

The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement training and certification agency, now requires public safety officers disclose law enforcement history when being hired in Oregon. That wasn’t always the case.

When Vander Kamp was hired at the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy in 2004, the requirement didn’t exist, according to department spokesperson Sam Tenney. It wasn’t until 2016 that state law mandated law enforcement agencies investigate job history.

“If he’s a nearly 20-year employee, then his agency was not required to review past complaints, investigations or disciplinary actions when he was hired,� Tenney wrote in an email.

However, in 2017, when Vander Kamp was promoted to the rank of sergeant, he indicated on a training application form for Oregon’s public safety standards department that he had never been discharged from a public safety agency.