LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lakeport’s police chief on Tuesday officially threw his hat into the ring to pursue another local job — that of county supervisor.

Chief Brad Rasmussen said he plans to run for the District 4 supervisor position in the 2024 election.

A longtime Lake County resident, Rasmussen, 53, said he’s excited about the prospect of pursuing the supervisor’s job, which — if he won — he would take over at the start of 2025, after retiring.

Because of the presidential primary, the election will come sooner than in most years. Super Tuesday primaries in California fall in March, not June.

That means the election is just a year away — March 5.

He’ll challenge Supervisor Michael Green, appointed in October by Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace Tina Scott, who stepped down in July to take a job with the Lakeport Unified School District.

“I was surprised but also pleased to hear of Brad Rasmussen’s decision to run for District 4 supervisor in 2024,” Green said in a statement released on Lake County News on Tuesday evening. “I was privileged to work with Brad while serving on the Lakeport City Council, and his decades-long commitment to public safety and community-oriented policing speaks for itself. Suffice to say he will be a strong supervisorial candidate in the March 5, 2024, primary election.”

Green’s statement continued, “Brad’s announcement naturally raises questions about my own plans, but I’m not going to answer such questions on short notice. To my knowledge, the candidate filing period will not open for six months or more, and it’s not only possible but probable that other highly qualified candidates may enter the race. In particular, I want to encourage women, LGBTQ, LatinX and people of color to consider running for county office. There is still plenty of time to nominate a slate of strong, diverse candidates so District 4 voters have a real choice when electing their next supervisor.“

One other candidate already has confirmed to Lake County News that he will also enter the race.

Scott Barnett, who serves on the Lakeport Planning Commission, said Tuesday he will run for the supervisorial seat.

Barnett also had applied to the Governor’s Office for the District 4 seat last year but said the state didn’t interview him for the office and didn’t even acknowledge his application. Other applicants reported the same issues with the governor’s appointment process.

He said he saw Rasmussen’s Facebook announcement “and I'm even more motivated to run.”

Rasmussen said he’s been considering a run for supervisor for “quite a few months.”

The first person he talked to about it was wife, Karyn, to get her support.

They have two grown daughters, both of whom grew up in Lakeport and went to Lakeport schools: Stephanie, who is a doctor who graduated with honors in June 2022 from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, and Savannah, who received her Master of Science in behavioral psychology from Pepperdine University in May 2022 and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Brad Rasmussen said he has so far not set a retirement date but that it won’t be before the March 2024 primary.

He said any campaigning will take place well outside of work hours.

“I’m 100% committed to my job,” said Rasmussen. “I’m going to do my job like I always have.”

He hasn’t given the city of Lakeport a letter announcing his retirement, although he has spoken to City Manager Kevin Ingram about his plans to run for supervisor.

The announcement was not mentioned during the Lakeport City Council’s Tuesday evening meeting.

When he does set a retirement date, Rasmussen said he will give the city plenty of time to find his successor.

By the time he expects to retire next year, he will have served for 34 years with the Lakeport Police Department. He’s been chief since May of 2011.

As for his reasons for running for supervisor, Rasmussen said, “I’ve had a great career in police work but I’ve been in here a long time.”

He said he wants to transition to something else but also wants to continue to serve the community in a different way.

Rasmussen said he can use his skills and knowledge to benefit District 4 and the rest of the county.

What’s been the reaction to his announcement?

“So far, everything I’ve gotten has been positive reaction and support,” he said.

Those congratulating him on his Facebook announcement included retired Sheriff Brian Martin, Chief Probation Officer Wendy Mondfrans and Greg Folsom, Clearlake’s former city manager who now is city manager of Suisun City.

By seeking to hold elected office, Rasmussen will follow in the footsteps of another Lakeport Police chief who also was his mentor — Tom Engstrom.

Engstrom, who retired in 2005 after 11 years at top cop in Lakeport, served one term on the Lakeport City Council from 2010 to 2014.

Rasmussen’s late father-in-law, Arlin Pischke, also held elected office, serving on the Lakeport City Council from 1982 to 1990, serving twice as Lakeport’s mayor.

In 1984 Pischke ran for the District 4 supervisorial seat amidst a large field but lost to Karan Mackey, who held the seat for 16 years.

Rasmussen’s Facebook post from Tuesday morning is published below in its entirety.

Dear Fellow Citizens of District 4 in Lake County, CA,

I am writing to announce my intent to run for the position of District 4 Supervisor in the 2024 election. I am excited about the opportunity to serve my community and represent the interests of the residents of District 4.

As a longtime resident of Lake County, I have a deep commitment to our community and its future. I believe that my experience, qualifications, and dedication make me the ideal candidate for this important role.

Over the years, I have worked tirelessly to improve our community and enhance the quality of life for all residents. In addition to over three decades in local government I have served on various local organizations and nonprofit groups including Kiwanis and Lions Clubs.

If elected as your District 4 Supervisor, I will bring this same level of commitment and dedication to the job. My top priorities will include promoting economic growth and development, protecting our natural resources, improving our schools, and ensuring that our local government is transparent and accountable to the people it serves.

I believe that by working together, we can achieve great things for our community. I am committed to listening to your concerns, representing your interests, and working hard to make District 4 an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.

I am honored to currently work as Lakeport’s Chief of Police. As I near retirement, this position provides the perfect opportunity to continue to serve our community.

I hope to earn your support in the upcoming election. Thank you to my family and community members who have encouraged me to run.

Sincerely,
Brad Rasmussen

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.