Daggett County Sheriff Jerry R. Jorgensen has resigned, citing a desire to help the County move forward in the process with the Utah Department of Corrections to return inmates to the Daggett County Jail. A press release from the Daggett County Sheriff’s Office states that Sheriff Jorgensen resigned Sunday, April 23rd. Chief Deputy, Captain Chris Collett, is in command until the Commissioners meet today to appoint an acting Sheriff. The official recommendation for replacement, however, will be made by the County Republican Committee. Questions about that process have yet to be answered. According to the press release from the Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Jorgensen’s resignation was completely voluntary stating that Sheriff Jorgensen “felt a clean break with a new Sheriff would [return inmates to the Daggett County Jail] more quickly.” It was Sheriff Jorgensen who reported the possible mistreatment of inmates to the Department of Corrections last January. “He recognized the allegations as very serious and took decisive action. He is involved in the investigation only because he was in charge of the Sheriff’s Office and takes responsibility for what happened while under his command.” Sheriff Jorgensen started with Daggett County in October 2007, working as the Jail Commander. He was elected as the Sheriff in 2010 and was reelected in 2014.
