Sheriff Gese, 4 KCSO leadership members resigning June 26
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 9, 2026
After previously announcing he would be retiring at the end of his term this year, Kitsap County Sheriff John Gese and four other members of the department’s leadership team will be resigning June 26, a statement from the county says.
Those who are reportedly departing alongside Gese are undersheriff Russ Clithero, chief of detectives and support services Lisa Gundrum, chief of patrol Chad Birkenfeld, and finance manager Wendy Dutenhoeffer, per the county’s statement. In response, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners has requested verification of the resignations of the four staff members other than Gese, along with succession plans from the department. The board also initiated the constitutionally required process for the appointment of an interim sheriff by contacting the Kitsap County Democratic Party. Gese was elected as a Democrat in 2022.
“First and foremost, the Board of County Commissioners cares very deeply about the well-being of the county’s public safety staff and prioritizes the public safety of our community,” said District 2 Commissioner and board chair Oran Root.
In 2025, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners approved 3% budget cuts across all departments, which was roughly $1.7 million for the sheriff’s office, as it’s the largest county department. Gese criticized the cuts and the potential negative impacts they would have on many aspects of the department.
Two candidates, Brandon Myers (Democrat) and Rick Kuss (Republican) have filed for Kitsap County Sheriff and will face off in November’s general election unless a write-in candidate receives enough votes in the August primary. Myers is a detective sergeant with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office and has been with the department for 23 years. Kuss is a deputy sheriff with the King County Sheriff’s Office and previously ran against Gese in 2022.
