In the face of mounting criticism, Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton stood firm.

"I don't have a reason to resign," he said April 20 to reporters gathered outside his office.

The next day, seated before the county Board of Commissioners, he repeated, "My intent is not to leave."

On May 10, he still had no plans to step down, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive. "I don't believe I've done anything wrong," he said.

But on Friday, nearly four months after turmoil in the sheriff's office became public, the 57-year-old sheriff relented. A stack of allegations that first landed in February had grown to include bullying, sexism, profiling, retaliation, improperly purchasing a fancy car and trying to influence a union vote.

"I have been thinking about all of the employees here at the sheriff's office and everything that has transpired over the past months. You truly are the finest," Staton suddenly emailed his staff at 10:40 a.m. "I can no longer subject any of you to the challenges that I am facing."

With that, Staton announced his retirement, effective Aug. 16. The move didn't surprise everyone. It was that he waited so long.

"He was under so much pressure," said Jim Moore, a political science professor at Pacific University, "that his resignation was inevitable."

So what changed? That's not entirely clear. Staton, who went on vacation after announcing his resignation, a spokesman said, didn't return messages seeking comment. But even as Staton was digging in, something else was constant: The pressure never let up.

In recent weeks, the heat on Staton only seemed to intensify. As recently as Wednesday, two of his own command employees, worried about retaliation if they helped a county investigation, beseeched officials for protection.

But in the end, said Jason Heilbrun, president of one of three unions to call for Staton's departure, "he really was the the only one who could make that decision."

Troubles add up for Sheriff Dan Staton

THE INVESTIGATIONS

No criminal charges, but new questions emerge: In February, pressed by Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury and District Attorney Rod Underhill, the Oregon Department of Justice began investigating allegations Sheriff Dan Staton created a hostile work environment and improperly investigated citizens on a community panel.

The results came back May 6, clearing Staton of criminal wrongdoing. The results would have come back sooner. But investigators added a late claim that Staton mentioned a promotion to the president of the union representing to block a no-confidence vote.

Administrative inquiry takes shape: State investigators made clear they were weighing only criminal violations, not "questions that were purely civil or administrative, not concerning matters of labor or employment law."

On May 11, Kafoury announced a county investigation on accusations Staton used his position to intimidate and retaliate against employees. That administrative investigation followed a complaint from the union that represents county patrol deputies.

THE LEGAL CLAIMS

Chief Deputy Linda Yankee warned she planned to sue over claims Staton made sexual comments about colleagues and made violent threats about others. Days after the news breaks, the county reached a financial agreement with Yankee, with Staton agreeing to pay $300,000 from his office budget.

Barbara Trojan, a member of the county's Charter Review Committee, threatened to sue the county on accusations Staton and his staff members compiled dossiers of the committee's members. The committee is considering a charter revision that would make the sheriff's post appointed instead of elected. The Justice Department investigation found no evidence Staton used law enforcement databases to investigate committee members, a criminal act. Staton did gather information, the state found, but used Google.

Lt. Brent Ritchie, who's since resigned from the sheriff's office, issued a threat to sue Staton on accusations Ritchie endured retaliation for his work on an audit that found black inmates experienced force in Multnomah County's jails at a disproportionate rate. Ritchie said he was ostracized and forced from his office. County lawyers have disputed some or Ritchie's claims.

OTHER TROUBLES

The $33,623 Dodge Charger: Staton gave a mea culpa -- "This is my fault," he said -- after Willamette Week reported in May that Staton had purchased a features-packed Dodge Charger for use as his official vehicle. He told The Oregonian/OregonLive he planned to give the car, with its leather seats, fancy speakers and sunroof, to a "first responder" in the sheriff's office.

Labor unrest: Three labor groups that represent county employees have called for Staton to step down since February. The politically powerful statewide chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees joined the chorus Wednesday morning. Previous demands came from the Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff's Association, which represents patrol deputies, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' Local 88, which represents civilian employees in the sheriff's office. The Multnomah County Corrections Deputy Association, which represents corrections officers, has not demanded Staton's ouster.

Trouble for Staton tumbled into view early in the year when Chief Deputy Linda Yankee threatened to sue on claims of a hostile work environment. Among Yankee's claims: She said Staton once told staffers he would "slit their throats" if they told anyone about their conversation. Another time, she said, he berated her in front of others until she broke down in tears. The case quickly settled with Staton agreeing to pay $300,000 out of his office budget.

More accusations and legal threats followed. The county chair and district attorney asked Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to look into criminal charges.

But days after the Oregon Department of Justice cleared Staton of criminal wrongdoing, seemingly a victory for the sheriff, setbacks kept piling up.

Patrol deputies, with complaints about retaliation and an allegation that Staton dangled a promotion to head off a no-confidence vote, persuaded County Chair Deborah Kafoury to launch an administrative review. Staton denied trying to influence any union vote. The deputies also went public with calls for Staton to quit -- with two other unions following, one just last week. Staton's predecessor, Bob Skipper, told him the same.

Then, on Wednesday, two of Staton's chief deputies wrote a letter asking for protection -- citing fears of punishment -- over their participation in Kafoury's inquiry. That inquiry was suspended Friday, but could reopen if new allegations emerge before Staton quits.

And the week before Staton announced his retirement, Willamette Week reported on the sheriff's official car. It was a nearly $34,000 Dodge Charger, purchased ahead of the county's replacement schedule, outside protocol, with more extras -- speakers, sunroof, shiny wheels -- than usual for a county vehicle. Staton told The Oregonian/OregonLive it was "my fault" and promised to give the car up.

And yet, in the haze of Staton's announcement, what triggered his about-face remained a mystery.

Staton's silence Friday was matched by members of his command staff. Reached by phone Friday, Capt. Mary Lindstrand, one of the sheriff's longtime colleagues and supporters, declined to comment. Others didn't return messages seeking comment.

Later Friday, Sgt. Steve Dangler, a sheriff's office spokesman, called The Oregonian/OregonLive to say other, unidentified high-ranking members of the agency didn't want to speak with a reporter.

County insiders and former sheriff's office employees expressed relief.

Jason Heilbrun, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' Local 88, one of the unions that called for Staton's resignation, said workers could begin to heal.

As Staton's public image suffered in recent months, said Heilbrun, whose local represents civilian workers in the sheriff's office, the mood was "subdued -- people trying to keep their heads down, do their jobs, trying to avoid being distracted because, frankly, it has been a distraction."

The relationship between the sheriff and civilian employees had become "really strained," he said.

Shea Marshman, a former sheriff's office director of planning and research, said she felt proud of the courage her former colleagues showed in taking a stand against Staton.

Marshman has said she left the agency last fall because she was disturbed by Staton's treatment of his employees and his decision to fire one of her subordinates who'd worked on an audit that found black inmates had experienced a disproportionate use of force by deputies.

"It's a feeling that we can be heard," she said, "that we absolutely can make a difference when we feel like something unacceptable is happening."

Still, Marshman said, with Staton at the helm for 12 more weeks, employees may continue to face undue stress on the job.

"He won't be out until he's out," she said.

Staton, in his email to staff, said former Portland Police Chief Mike Reese would join the agency June 20 as undersheriff and gradually take on Staton's responsibilities. Reese will be sworn in as interim sheriff when Staton leaves office, with his name placed on the November ballot.

Reese, in a brief interview Friday said Staton had called him that morning with word about the email. The former chief declined to comment further on his discussions with the sheriff.

"It's obviously a challenging situation," said Reese, who worked as a sheriff's deputy before joining the Portland Police Bureau.

In a written statement, Reese said he looked forward to leading the sheriff's office -- a job that could prove a difficult test. Though Reese has experience leading and crafting budgets for a large public safety agency, the city's police bureau is primarily focused on patrol and investigation. The sheriff's office, though it has patrol deputies, is primarily tasked with running Multnomah County's jails.

Soon after Staton picked Reese, the union that represents corrections deputies said in a statement that it didn't think supporting Reese "would be in the best interest" of the union or the sheriff's office.

Last fall, months before controversy surrounding Staton became public, county Commissioner Judy Shiprack asked the county's citizen Charter Review Committee to consider making the sheriff appointed, rather than elected. The move followed friction over the sheriff's budget, with Shiprack in particular raising questions about Staton's heavy reliance on overtime.

The charter proposal could go to voters in November. If approved, against the wishes of the state sheriff's association, Multnomah County would have the only appointed sheriff in Oregon.

Staton's opposition of the change became part of the Justice Department's criminal investigation, as county leaders questioned whether the sheriff had improperly investigated committee members or made threatening remarks about them.

"In terms of governance, it makes sense to go appointed, to have a true professional who can actually run this system," said Moore, the political science professor. "But politically we want our sheriff to be responsible to the people.

"They're elected as this political symbol who's also expected to know how to run this huge jail system and be an expert in mental health issues," he said. "It's a really tough job."

Staton becomes the third consecutive sheriff to leave office early amid scandal. In doing so, he's also the third to pick his successor.

The sheriff pointed to that troubled history when addressing the county's charter committee April 20, minutes after telling reporters he planned to stick around. He talked up his work rebuilding his agency's reputation since taking over in 2009.

"We had taken a huge blow and a huge hit publicly," he said. "Because of the previous sheriffs."

Come Aug. 16, observers such as Moore say, that line might apply to Staton, too: "He just wasn't a good manager."

-- Emily E. Smith

esmith@oregonian.com

503-294-4032; @emilyesmith