Kent's "dedication, commitment, and follow-through" ended years of terror for a Bend family and local non-profits.

In the quiet town of Bend, an unsuspecting community found itself at the center of a peculiar series of events when a mischievous prankster from the United Kingdom targeted a special-needs man. Amid confusion and amusement, then Detective Kent Vander Kamp stepped into action, determined to unravel the mystery behind the attacks that left the town scratching its head.

Imagine Recieving Prank Calls Everyday for Over a Year

Troy Richards, a resident of Bend with Noonan's syndrome, endured over a thousand harassing calls over 18 months, orchestrated by a UK prankster. The caller used "soundboarding," creating fake identities and recording conversations to harass Richards, his family, Deschutes County 911, and his non-profit support agencies. The prankster would use the recordings to call 911 and report fake emergencies that would bring first responders and swat teams to Troy's assisted living home.

Kent Vander Kamp led the investigation, revealing the prankster's connection to the United Kingdom. With the help of INTERPOL, Kent collaborated with a UK Police Constable to identify, arrest, and convict the suspect in the UK.

Troy's mother, Debora, said, "From personal experience, we know Kent has the dedication, commitment, and follow-through to lead the Sheriff's Office. In our case, Kent's ability to work with other law enforcement agencies, both locally and internationally, was instrumental in bringing the Cyber/Phone call Harassment and Swatting that we experienced for nearly 18 months to an end."  

She continued, "Kent's leadership in the CODE Task Force has also demonstrated your organizational and team-building skills. It was nearly ten years ago that we met, and Kent helped to restore our lives to normalcy - we continue to be grateful.  The people of Deschutes County will be well served by Kent Vander Kamp, our next Sheriff."

UK Prankster Brings SWAT Teams to a Bend Independant Living Home

This case highlighted vulnerabilities in the intellectual and developmental disability community. Organizations like Full Access and Abilitree are working to educate and protect individuals with disabilities from potential exploitation and education in handling cases involving individuals with disabilities. Collaboration between law enforcement, the disabled community, and support organizations is paramount. Kent Vander Kamp will continue this relationship and collaboration.