Outgoing District Attorney John Haroldson received recognition Wednesday for 22 years of service to Benton County and 36 years of service to Oregon with a dedication event at the Benton County Courthouse and a retirement ceremony at the Corvallis-Benton County Library.
In 2008, Haroldson, the son of a Scandinavian father and a Mexican mother, became the first Mexican-American district attorney elected to serve in Oregon.
“Serving the public in this noble pursuit has been a great honor and exceptionally rewarding,” Haroldson said. “In addition to the daily responsibilities that go with serving as district attorney, I have sought to build an office that our community can confidently rely upon to uphold the standards of justice in Benton County. I am very proud of our office and the service we provide to our community.”
Haroldson earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Central Washington University and a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Oregon. He launched his prosecution career as an intern-prosecutor for the city of Albany in 1988. He later served as a Linn County deputy district attorney before joining Benton County as chief deputy district attorney in 2002.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski appointed Haroldson as Benton County DA in February 2007 and then in November 2008, he was elected to the position that he’s held for approximately 17 years.
Haroldson earned recognition from both the Oregon Crime Victims’ Compensation Program and the Oregon Humane Society for his excellence in prosecution. He also served as adjunct faculty for Willamette University School of Law and the National College of District Attorneys.
