Will new rules disqualify Thurston County sheriff hopeful? Here’s what we know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- SB 5974 requires at least five years of regular, full‑time law enforcement employment.
- Sanders alleged Burton‑Crow is about three months short. Burton‑Crow says he qualifies.
- Candidate filing week is May 4–8, according to the Washington Secretary of State.
The incumbent Thurston County Sheriff called into question the eligibility of his opponent in the 2026 election if a new Washington state bill is signed into law.
In a Sunday Facebook post, Sheriff Derek Sanders alleged Detective Kevin Burton-Crow does not have enough years of experience to qualify as a sheriff under Senate Bill 5974 — a claim Burton-Crow is denying.
“The bill has language within it that will likely disqualify my current opponent from appearing on the ballot for sheriff,” Sanders said. “The new standards require five years of continuous, full-time law enforcement experience with enforcement responsibilities. My opponent will be approximately three months short of that new minimum standard.”
SB 5974 aims to set stricter eligibility requirements for local law enforcement leaders, including elected sheriffs. Both chambers of the state legislature recently passed the bill, so it’s now headed to Gov. Bob Ferguson. Sheriffs across the state, including Sanders, have opposed a provision in the bill that allows sheriffs to be removed from office if they are decertified by the state Criminal Justice Training Commission, The Olympian has reported.
While the removal provision has been hotly debated, Sanders brought up the experience provision in his post and called on Ferguson to veto the bill.
“It’s always the right time to support the integrity of our democracy, even when it means you could lose your own elected status in the process of a free and fair election,” Sanders said. “My opponent should have the opportunity to appear on the ballot, and the voters of Thurston County should retain their sovereignty to choose who is best fit to lead.”
Burton-Crow called his boss’ claim “just plain wrong” in a Monday Facebook post. He said he was sworn in on March 16, 2021, and worked a patrol shift that same day.
“I’ve been working full-time as a deputy, and now detective, ever since,” Burton-Crow said. “Filing week isn’t until May, so I WILL (sic) be on your ballot, and I look forward to a campaign season where we have continuous and truthful dialogue about public safety and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.”
If the bill is enacted, it would largely take effect on April 30. Language pertaining to volunteers and youth cadets is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
Candidate filing week is May 4-8, according to the Washington Secretary of State Office. By May 8, Burton-Crow would have just over 5 years and nearly 2 months of experience at TCSO.
The Sheriff’s Office welcomed Burton-Crow in a March 16, 2021, Facebook post and stated he would go to the law enforcement academy the next month, April 2021.
Burton-Crow served as a volunteer reserve deputy for TCSO for six years, according to his campaign website. To do so, he reportedly attended the CJTC Basic Law Enforcement Reserve Academy at Skagit Valley Community College.
In a follow-up comment on his Facebook post, Burton-Crow said his experience as a reserve deputy allowed him to start working a patrol shift with a field training officer the night of March 16, 2021.
“My situation is somewhat unique because my prior CJTC certification and experience allowed me to begin working immediately and then attend the basic law enforcement academy once a class date opened,” he wrote.
Sanders responded to a request for comment from The Olympian on Thursday. He said he based his claim on a legal analysis by an attorney who helped draft the bill. The attorney, who Sanders did not name in his response, reportedly believed academy training time did not count toward the five-year qualification.
“Kevin (Burton-Crow) graduated the academy in August of 2021, which is why I stated he was about three months short,” Sanders said in an emailed statement. “Ultimately, a judge would likely have to make that legal determination, not a candidate or their opponent.”
Sanders clarified that he supported the five-year experience requirement. However, he does not think it should be implemented during an active election cycle in which candidates have already declared.
The House passed an amended version of the bill late last week, and the Senate agreed to the changes on Monday.
The final bill passed by the legislature states a person eligible to be a sheriff “must have completed at least five years of regular, full-time law enforcement employment … .”
Previous versions of the bill included “uninterrupted” employment as a qualifier and used the word “commissioned” rather than “full-time.”
Sanders referenced the requirement for “uninterrupted” employment in his original Facebook post, which he shared a day before the Senate’s action on Monday. However, Sanders told The Olympian on Thursday that this qualifier did not factor into his claim about Burton-Crow’s eligibility.
Burton-Crow, a Democrat, has raised about $29,000 for his campaign as of Tuesday, according to the Public Disclosure Commission. Sanders, an independent, has raised about $27,000.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with comments from Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
