Island County sheriff's deputies, jail staff back Felici reelection

Island County sheriff Rick Felici picked up an unusual show of support from the people who work under him, as both the Island County Deputy Sheriffs Guild and the Island County Corrections Association endorsed his reelection. The backing matters because it reaches inside the county’s main public-safety agency and suggests Felici’s leadership still has buy-in from deputies, supervisors and jail staff as voters weigh whether to keep him in office.

Felici posted the endorsement letters on his campaign website and said the moment was among the most meaningful of his career. He joined the Island County Sheriff’s Office in 1994, but his law-enforcement career began in 1988 at NAS Whidbey Island Security Police Detachment and as a reserve officer with the Oak Harbor Police Department. Felici rose to chief deputy before winning election as sheriff in 2018, and he is now running as an Independent after previously seeking office as a Republican.

The union backing was striking in both size and form. The deputy guild, which represents 42 commissioned officers including patrol deputies, patrol supervisors and detectives, said its vote was anonymous and overwhelming. The corrections association followed with a 23-1 endorsement of Felici. Tim Davidson, who leads the deputy guild, and corrections leader Bucklin both pointed to the department’s culture and training opportunities as reasons for support. County labor records also show active collective bargaining agreements for corrections deputies and sheriff staff, and Teamsters Local 231 said Island County corrections deputies unanimously ratified their first Teamster contract on March 23, 2023.

The endorsements quickly took on a broader meaning in a race already marked by tension. Langley Police Chief Tavier Wasser, Felici’s challenger, questioned how the votes were handled and said some deputies feared repercussions if they spoke up. Wasser filed for the race in February and has said he is backed by Democrats. He also points to his 2024 Police Officer of the Year recognition from Island County community members and his role as chair of the Washington Association of Sheriff and Police Chiefs’ Public Trust Committee.

Wasser has argued that many younger deputies have not worked under Felici and may not know him well. Davidson countered that newer employees are more willing to speak publicly. The primary is Aug. 4, and Felici will remain sheriff until Dec. 31, making the endorsement a live test of whether long tenure, internal support and a promise of neutrality can carry the day in a county where the sheriff’s office shapes patrol, jail operations and public trust.