Inside the Sheriff’s Office
The current research focus is the operating picture: budget, staffing, records workload, civil-service capacity, technology, emergency readiness, and measurable accountability.
Open the briefing room2026 YAKIMA COUNTY SHERIFF
Leadership rooted in service, accountability, and community.
Yakima County is choosing its next Sheriff. This is where Roman lays out what he believes, what he would change, what he would protect, and how the public can hold him to it.
Campaign statements are labeled as campaign statements. Independent research stays independent.
CURRENT FOCUS
Study it. Answer it. Show up.
These are the questions shaping the public conversation around the Sheriff’s Office right now: how the budget is used, where staffing is strained, how technology is governed, and what residents should be able to measure.
Put Roman’s position on the record
As an issue is documented, Roman can state what he believes, what he would do, what the office can actually control, and what evidence would change the answer.
See public Q&ATurn attention into participation
Ask a question, invite Roman into a community conversation, volunteer, share useful public information, or support the campaign through its official channels.
Choose a way to actHave the question Roman should answer next?Send it in
FOLLOW THE $18.88M
The Sheriff’s Office is a public institution with a public budget.
Yakima County’s adopted 2026 budget lists the Sheriff at $18,882,648, up from $17,295,504 in 2025. That is roughly a 9.2% increase. The number alone does not prove waste or success. It creates the next question: what service levels, staffing, technology, records capacity, and public accountability should residents expect in return?
StaffingWhere are vacancies, overtime, and civilian workload creating pressure?
RecordsWhat backlog and retention workload exists, and what service standard should the public expect?
TechnologyWhat does surveillance and other technology cost, who can access it, and how is performance audited?
ServiceWhich measurable outcomes should a nearly $19M office publish regularly?
MEET ROMAN
Roman Kilinkaridis
Roman Kilinkaridis is a 2026 candidate for Yakima County Sheriff, a law-enforcement professional, and a business owner focused on public safety, leadership, and accountability.
Here, Roman’s positions and commitments stay visible. The linked transparency library gives the public a separate place to inspect the underlying records and evidence.
Open Roman’s public-record sectionNOVEMBER 3, 2026
The primary chose the finalists. Now the county chooses its Sheriff.
Roman advanced through Washington’s top-two primary and will appear in the general election. The August result also made the scale of the campaign’s work clear: November has to be about reaching far more Yakima County voters, earning trust in public, and giving people concrete reasons to participate.
THE PRIMARY WAS A BASELINE
Not a victory lap. A measurement.
The August result gave the campaign a real starting point and made the work ahead visible. Roman’s path now depends on reaching more Yakima County voters, showing up in public, and giving people concrete reasons to participate.
THE NOVEMBER JOB
Build a much larger public conversation.
Events, volunteers, earned media, voter registration, public policy commitments, fundraising, and measurable community engagement all matter between now and the general election.
TRANSPARENCY
The underlying results stay public.
Official primary results remain available from Yakima County. This campaign will acknowledge the baseline without turning the homepage into a scoreboard. November is the race in front of us now.
INTERACTIVE SCENARIO
What does a November win require?
Move the sliders to test different countywide turnout and Roman vote-share scenarios. This is math, not a forecast. It uses the county voter-registration baseline currently in our model and assumes the sheriff race roughly tracks total ballots cast.
Scenario assumptions should be updated when Yakima County publishes the final primary reconciliation and as general-election registration and turnout data change.
NOVEMBER ACTION CENTER
Turn the math into real participation.
The campaign only grows if people take action. Pick the lane that fits you and use the official path.
COUNTDOWN TO NOVEMBER 3
Every day between now and November matters.
Use the countdown as a reminder to register, volunteer, attend events, share the campaign, and keep checking the public commitments as they are documented.
56Days
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COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
One person. One conversation. One next step.
Ask someone you know what they care about in the Sheriff race and listen first. If Roman has addressed it, share the relevant answer or record. If he has not, send the question to the campaign so it can be answered publicly.
Official primary results remain available through Yakima County election reporting. Roman advanced under Washington’s top-two system to the November 3 general election.
PUBLIC COMMITMENTS
Promises should be trackable.
These are campaign commitments or accountability standards Roman has stated. They are presented with their current evidence status and the next documentation step so voters can see what has been promised and what still needs to be formalized.
01Public commitment
Put the Flock camera question before voters
Roman has said that, if elected, he intends to pursue putting the county’s Flock camera policy before Yakima County voters through the lawful ballot process he says he has already reviewed with the appropriate people.
Next proof pointDocument the exact ballot mechanism and final measure language before publication.
02Public commitment
Keep local deputies focused on local public safety
Roman has said YCSO should not obstruct lawful federal agencies, but should not volunteer county custody, personnel, or resources for civil immigration enforcement beyond what the law requires.
Next proof pointPublish the final written policy language after legal review.
03Public commitment
Give part of the Sheriff salary back to the community
Roman has publicly pledged that, if elected, he will donate a significant portion of his Sheriff salary to local nonprofits and community organizations, including groups that support animal welfare.
Next proof pointPublish the final percentage or dollar formula, eligible recipient criteria, and a public reporting method so the pledge can be audited over time.
04Public commitment
Offer deputies a private wellness check-in every six months
Roman has publicly said part of his giving-back pledge would support a deputy wellness program that gives every deputy an opportunity, about once every six months, to sit down with a qualified professional if they want to talk. The purpose is access, not forced counseling. Deputies would not be required to disclose personal issues simply because the opportunity is available.
Next proof pointDocument the proposed council structure, voluntary-participation rule, clinical independence, confidentiality protections, funding source, referral options, crisis support, and implementation timeline.
05Accountability standard
Publish the record, including his own
Roman’s campaign supports a consistent evidence standard for public records, corrections, dispositions, and unresolved questions, including material involving Roman himself.
Next proof pointContinue primary-source verification and publish corrections when new evidence changes the record.
DEPUTY WELLNESS
Access to help without forcing anyone to talk.
Roman’s stated idea is simple: create a dependable opportunity about every six months for deputies to sit down with a qualified professional if they want it, then build broader wellness resources around that access point. It is not forced counseling.
Voluntary, not forced
The twice-yearly opportunity is meant to make professional support easy to access. It is not a requirement that a deputy disclose personal issues or participate in counseling simply because a check-in is offered.
A protected place to talk
The program should be designed around privacy, professional independence, and clear confidentiality rules so deputies understand what is private and what narrow safety or legal exceptions may apply.
More than two appointments
The six-month check-in is a regular access point, not a ceiling. The broader wellness program can also connect deputies to additional counseling, peer support, crisis resources, family support, and follow-up care when requested or clinically appropriate.
Support before a crisis
Deputies routinely encounter trauma, death, violence, stress, and responsibility. The goal is to normalize access to support before someone has to reach a breaking point to ask for help.
Policy design matters.
Before implementation, the campaign should spell out who provides the service, how confidentiality works, what records are created, who can access them, what happens in an immediate safety emergency, and how deputies can seek additional care without stigma or retaliation.
GOVERNING PRINCIPLES
Strong enforcement. Clear limits on government power.
These are campaign positions Roman has stated publicly or directly to the campaign team. They are presented as positions, not independent research findings.
Useful technology still needs public rules.
Roman has stated that he sees operational value in Flock and other public-safety technology, while also believing that persistent surveillance should not expand without clear public consent and safeguards. He has said that, if elected, he intends to pursue putting the Flock question before Yakima County voters through the lawful ballot process he says he has already reviewed with the appropriate people.
The campaign will not describe all ALPR use as unconstitutional or claim the Sheriff can bypass the required county ballot process.Local deputies should stay focused on local crime.
Roman has stated that his deputies would not obstruct ICE or another outside agency acting under its own lawful authority, but he does not want the Sheriff’s Office volunteering county custody, personnel, or resources for civil immigration enforcement beyond what the law requires. His stated concern is that workers, victims, and witnesses should not be afraid to interact with local law enforcement because they fear a local contact will automatically become federal immigration enforcement.
The campaign will not promise to block lawful federal operations or claim the Sheriff controls independent federal workplace enforcement.The same standard applies to Roman.
The campaign supports publishing primary records, dispositions, corrections, and unresolved questions under a consistent evidence standard. Roman’s own public record is not exempt from that rule.
Independent research remains separate from campaign advocacy, including records that are unfavorable, disputed, incomplete, or still being verified.CURRENT CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES
What Roman says he wants to work on
These summaries come from the campaign’s current public materials and remain distinct from independent research findings.
Combating fentanyl and drug-related crime
Roman’s current campaign materials emphasize enforcement and strong partnerships intended to protect the community.
CAMPAIGN POSITIONSupporting deputies and strengthening the force
Recruitment, training, staffing, leadership support, and voluntary access to a professional wellness check-in about once every six months are central themes in Roman’s current campaign platform.
CAMPAIGN POSITIONImproving public safety
Roman’s campaign highlights rural response times, patrol presence, and better coordination across Yakima County.
CAMPAIGN POSITIONRestoring trust through accountability and transparency
Roman’s campaign identifies transparency, communication, community engagement, and trackable public commitments as core leadership standards.
CAMPAIGN POSITIONGiving back to Yakima County
Roman has publicly pledged to donate a significant portion of the Sheriff salary to local nonprofits, animal-welfare organizations, and community-focused programs if elected.
CAMPAIGN POSITIONCAMPAIGN BRIEFING ROOM
Every issue should have a clear answer, a source trail, and a next step.
This is the public-facing version of the campaign’s operating discipline. Each major issue is reduced to what Roman has said, what still needs proof, and where voters can go next.
Flock cameras and public consent
Roman supports useful public-safety technology while saying the county should not expand persistent surveillance without clear rules and public accountability. He has committed to pursuing a lawful path to put the Flock question before voters.
Next: document the exact ballot mechanism and proposed measure language.Help available without forced counseling
The proposal is a voluntary professional check-in about every six months, plus broader wellness resources. Access is the point. Deputies are not being forced to disclose personal issues simply because support is available.
Next: formalize confidentiality, provider independence, crisis exceptions, and referral options.Keep county deputies focused on county public safety
Roman has said YCSO should not obstruct lawful federal action, while also not volunteering local resources for civil immigration enforcement beyond what the law requires.
Next: publish final written policy language after legal review.Make the salary pledge auditable
Roman has pledged to donate a significant portion of the Sheriff salary to local nonprofits and community causes, including animal welfare.
Next: publish the exact formula, recipient rules, and reporting method.Track promises instead of asking for blind trust
The campaign is building a public commitments ledger while keeping independent public-record research visibly separate from campaign advocacy.
Next: attach primary records and status updates as commitments become formal policy.Turn public attention into participation
The campaign site now connects election math to voter registration, volunteering, events, public questions, interviews, and the official contribution flow.
Next: keep measuring which broad-public channels generate real participation.PUBLIC Q&A LEDGER
Questions should not disappear after the live ends.
When the same community questions keep coming up, the campaign should preserve the answer, label what is still unresolved, and point people toward the underlying record instead of starting from zero every time.
Would Roman force deputies into counseling?
Answer: No. Roman’s stated wellness concept is voluntary access to a qualified professional about once every six months, plus broader support resources. The opportunity exists so deputies can use it if they want it.
STATUS · Campaign position documentedDoes Roman want to ban Flock cameras?
Answer: No. Roman has said he sees law-enforcement value in the technology. His position is that persistent surveillance should have clear rules, public accountability, and a lawful path for voters to weigh in on the county’s policy.
STATUS · Ballot mechanism still needs final documentationWould YCSO stop ICE from acting in Yakima County?
Answer: Roman has not promised to block lawful federal operations. His stated position is that county deputies should remain focused on local public safety and should not volunteer county resources for civil immigration enforcement beyond what the law requires.
STATUS · Final written policy still needs legal reviewWhat happens to Roman’s salary pledge if he wins?
Answer: Roman has publicly pledged to donate a significant portion of the Sheriff salary to local nonprofits and community causes. The campaign still needs to publish the exact formula, eligibility rules, and reporting method.
STATUS · Public commitment, implementation details pendingHave a question that should be answered publicly?
Submit a question Send it to the campaign. Questions that recur can be added here with a documented answer and status.
ACCOUNTABILITY RULE
Clarifications should leave a trail.
If a public commitment is clarified, documented, legally reviewed, implemented, or materially corrected, the campaign should preserve what changed and when instead of silently rewriting history.
AnnouncedClarifiedDocumentedImplemented
PRESS & MEDIA
Make it easy to cover the campaign accurately.
Reporters, podcast hosts, civic groups, and community organizations should be able to find the campaign’s current positions, unresolved questions, and interview contact without chasing screenshots across social media.
Flock cameras, public consent, and ballot access
Roman’s position combines support for useful public-safety technology with a commitment to public rules and a lawful voter process.
Documentation in progress: exact ballot mechanism and proposed measure language.Deputy wellness without forced counseling
The proposal centers on voluntary access to a qualified professional about every six months, plus broader wellness resources and confidentiality protections.
Documentation in progress: provider structure, confidentiality rules, funding, and referral options.Local policing and federal civil immigration enforcement
Roman has said county deputies should stay focused on local public safety, not obstruct lawful federal action, and not volunteer county resources beyond what the law requires.
Documentation in progress: final written policy after legal review.Trackable campaign commitments
The campaign is publishing promises with next proof points instead of asking voters to rely on slogans or disappearing social posts.
Documentation in progress: source attachments and status updates as policies are formalized.Media, interview, or document request?
Contact campaign Contact the campaign directly and include your outlet or organization, topic, deadline, and preferred format.
Have a source document we should see?
Submit a source Policies, meeting materials, public records, official correspondence, and corrections can strengthen the public record. Send the original document or a link, explain what it is, and identify anything that still needs verification.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Less spam. More real conversations.
The campaign can grow by giving people clear ways to invite Roman into existing community conversations instead of relying on automated text blasts.
INVITE ROMAN
Bring Roman to your group.
Invite Roman to a neighborhood meeting, business group, service club, community event, or public forum.
Start an invitation ASK A QUESTIONPut a real issue on the table.
Send the campaign a question you want Roman to answer publicly. Repeated questions can help shape future Q&As and policy explainers.
Send a question HOST A CONVERSATIONCreate a listening stop.
Offer a place for a small public conversation where Roman can listen first, answer questions, and hear what people want from the Sheriff’s Office.
Offer to host MEDIA & INTERVIEWSPut the policies in public.
Local media, podcasts, civic organizations, and community hosts can request an interview or issue-specific conversation.
Request an interviewOutreach principle
Use permission-based, human contact wherever possible. Events, conversations, earned media, volunteers, and shareable public commitments give people a reason to opt in instead of making the campaign another notification they want to mute.
COMMUNITY QUESTION LOOP
Let the public help set the agenda.
When the same question keeps coming up at doors, events, businesses, online, or over coffee, that is useful signal. Send it in. The campaign can answer recurring questions publicly, add supporting material when available, and preserve the answer for the next person who asks.
1 Listen2 Submit3 Answer4 Document5 Share back
Send recurring question PARTICIPATE
Four clear ways to act
Campaign actions route through Roman’s official channels. Voter registration routes directly to Washington’s official VoteWA system.
Support the campaign
Use the campaign’s existing authorized donation flow.
DonateGet involved
Volunteer, request a yard sign, attend events, or introduce Roman to your organization.
VolunteerInspect the record
Open the independent source-linked Yakima public-safety research library.
Research libraryRegister to vote
Register or update your Washington voter information through the official VoteWA portal.
Register or updateVOTER ACCESS
Register or update Make sure your registration is ready for November.
Washington voters can register, update their address, or check their voter information through the state’s official VoteWA system. This link is available to every eligible voter regardless of candidate preference.
FUND THE NEXT PUSH
Help turn the next conversation into real campaign work.
Small-dollar support helps the campaign keep showing up: community conversations, event materials, voter information, signs, volunteer support, and the basic field work required to stay present across Yakima County. Contributions continue through Roman’s official campaign flow.
Proof-of-work standardAsk → show what got done → report back → make the next ask.
Suggested amounts are examples of support levels, not claims that a specific contribution purchases a specific item or service.
WHAT SUPPORT IS BUILDING
Show the work before asking for the next dollar.
Campaign support should produce visible public value. This feed now pulls from the campaign’s public proof-of-work records, so new verified updates can appear without rewriting the page by hand.
Public Q&A ledger launched
Recurring campaign questions now have a durable public answer-and-status area instead of disappearing after individual conversations or live videos.
NEXT · Keep adding recurring questions and attach source material when available.Commitment tracking is public
Major campaign commitments are displayed with current status and next proof points, plus a visible rule that clarifications and material changes should leave a trail.
NEXT · Publish supporting documents as details are finalized.Official voter access is built in
The campaign site gives every eligible voter a direct path to Washington’s official voter-registration and update system.
NEXT · Keep voter access visible through the general election.Independent transparency stays separate
Campaign advocacy and the independent public-record archive are visibly separated so visitors can distinguish campaign positions from evidence review.
NEXT · Keep source-backed research in the independent archive.Like this standard?
Fund the next push Help the campaign keep doing the next piece of public work, then come back and check what changed.
PUBLIC RECORD
Open transparency library Campaign advocacy stays separate from the evidence archive.
The campaign site explains Roman’s positions. The transparency library lets anyone inspect source-linked Yakima public-safety records, reporting, spending, technology, court material, corrections, and Roman’s own public record.
Campaign contactcontact@voteroman.com
Events & volunteeringManaged through the campaign’s existing official site.