PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole has submitted his resignation effective Jan. 3.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to pursue early retirement to focus on personal priorities and new opportunities,” wrote Nole in his resignation letter. “I am grateful for the 31 years I have spent with Jefferson County, and I value the experiences and friendships I’ve made during my time here. I am particularly thankful for the opportunity to have served the people of Jefferson County in a law enforcement capacity.”
The idea of retiring dawned on Nole a month or two ago, he said.
“It’s kind of weird, I’ve never retired before,” Nole said Monday. “I just kind of had this feeling like, you know what, I think I’m done.”
Nole, 68, said he thinks the office is in a good place with good leadership and commended his department.
“They made my six years as sheriff — I’m scared to say easy, but easy,” Nole said. “They’re a good, professional team that is community service oriented, and I didn’t have to worry so much about being on them to do the right thing. They were already doing that.”
Nole said he appreciates that all of the Jefferson County agencies work well together.
Nole was first elected sheriff in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022.
Since he is a Democrat, Jefferson County Democrats (JCD) is responsible for finding candidates for his replacement, who will be chosen by the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners (BOCC).
“The community appreciates Sheriff Nole’s long service to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office,” said Lora De La Portilla, chair of the Jefferson County Democrats. “We are interested in hearing from qualified applicants as soon as possible, and we plan to complete our part of the process before the end of January.”
The BOCC also is responsible for assigning an acting sheriff to step in between Jan. 3 and when an applicant is appointed. The board is required by state law to appoint a successor no more than 60 days following Nole’s resignation, according to a JCD press release.
Interested Jefferson County residents may submit resumes and letters of intent to info@jeffcodemocrats.com before a Jan. 13 deadline. Applicants also must fill out a questionnaire, which will be made available on the JCD website sometime today. The questionnaire is due by Jan. 13.
The BOCC-appointed sheriff will be in office until November 2025, when the position will be on the ballot. The elected sheriff will serve the remainder of Nole’s term; in 2026, another election will take place.
In his resignation letter, Nole recommended Undersheriff Andy Pernsteiner as his successor.
“Andy has 26 years experience with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and has been my second in command for the past six years,” Nole wrote. “His knowledge and experience, as well as his commitment to the priorities and principles I hold most dear, make him the ideal choice to continue my term.”
Nole said that, in the interest of a smooth transition, he will provide training to his replacement, if necessary. In the case of Pernsteiner, he is already up to date on duties of the office, he added.
Nole said he and Pernsteiner share perspectives.
“He’s in the same mindset that I am of expanding law enforcement services instead of just arresting people,” Nole said.
As sheriff, Nole said he’s particularly proud to have been involved in some programs that have shifted a focus from punitive approaches to more rehabilitative approaches. He noted efforts made to divert people from imprisonment.
“Being there for 30 years, I’ve seen law enforcement and things at the sheriff’s office change,” Nole said. “I’m proud of where we are. I’m proud of our ability and the way we are using our office to be proactive and promote goodness for people.”
Noel mentioned the REAL team (recovery, empowerment, advocacy and linkage) and the LEAD team (law enforcement assisted diversion) as two programs present that enable the sheriff’s office to help the community in a broader way, treating mental health and substance abuse issues with greater sensitivity.
“I think it’s important that as law enforcement we do more than just arrest people or write parking tickets or speeding tickets,” Nole said. “A lot of that stuff’s important, too, for maintaining safety in the communities. But it’s nice to be able to do some other things where we can divert someone with a mental health problem from going to jail and get some counseling and treatment in the local community to make their lives better.”
________
Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
