About the Sheriff | Modoc County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff William E. “Tex” Dowdy

Sheriff William “Tex” Dowdy is in his second term as the Modoc County Sheriff. He was elected to this position on January 7th, 2019, as the 21st Modoc County Sheriff.

Sheriff Dowdy originally moved to Modoc County in 1993 with his wife Lesa and their son Ty, for a ranching job in Likely. Sheriff Dowdy worked in the cattle industry, working for Depaoli Land & Livestock and the McGarva Ranch. He also worked for Alturas Ranches as a truck driver, prior to going to the police academy.

In 2001, Sheriff Dowdy was hired by the Alturas Police Department and attended the Yuba College Police Academy in July of 2001. Upon successful completion of the police academy, Sheriff Dowdy spent 18 years working for the Alturas Police Department. During his time at the police department, Sheriff Dowdy served as a Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, Field Training Officer, K-9 Handler, Patrol Sergeant, and the Modoc County Drug Task Force Commander. During his time at the Alturas Police Department, he served under Police Chief Larry Pickett (retired), Police Chief Ken Barnes (retired), and Police Chief Sid Cullins (deceased).

Although he cherished his time and the opportunities he was given at the Alturas Police Department, in October of 2013, Sheriff Dowdy accepted a Deputy Sheriff position with the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office, under former Sheriff Mike Poindexter (retired). After working in that capacity for three years he was appointed to Undersheriff by Sheriff Poindexter in 2016. On January 7th, 2019, the people of Modoc County elected William “Tex” Dowdy to be the 21st Sheriff of Modoc County.

Sheriff Dowdy has been married to his high school sweetheart Lesa for 34 years. They have three children, and three grandchildren. His oldest son is a graduate of Wyoming State University and works in the agriculture industry. His daughter has three children and works for the California Highway Patrol. His youngest son is a Marine Corps Veteran currently attending Texas A&M in Texas.

“I am committed to serving this community with hard work, dedication and transparency," commented Sheriff Tex Dowdy. “Our goals are set high and I will do everything in my power to keep Modoc County safe and thriving. Our team is focused on collaboration, community and a demand for excellence at all levels.”