Daggett County Sheriff resigns from office

Daggett County Sheriff Jerry Jorgensen resigned from his post Sunday after an investigation into allegations of prisoner mistreatment at the Daggett County Jail.

According to a media release from the Daggett County Sheriff’s Office, Jorgensen’s resignation was voluntary.

“Sheriff Jorgensen’s resignation was completely voluntary.

It came because of his desire to help the county move forward in the process with Utah Department of Corrections to return inmates to the Daggett County Jail,” the release stated. “He felt a clean break with a new sheriff would facilitate that more quickly.”

Jorgensen initially requested an investigation by the Utah Department of Corrections in early January, which resulted in the removal of 80 prisoners Feb. 17.

The sheriff’s office terminated two corrections officers after Jorgensen and Capt. Chris Collett, chief deputy of the department, met with UDC officials April 11. The sheriff’s office also accepted the resignation of the facility’s jail commander.

Collett was placed in charge of the sheriff’s office until the Daggett County Commissioners appoint an acting sheriff. The Daggett County Republican Committee will need to meet and nominate a replacement to fill the remainder of Jorgensen’s term.

Jorgensen served with the Daggett County Sheriff’s Office since Oct. 29, 2007, when he was hired as the jail commander. He was elected sheriff in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.

“(Jorgensen) 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,” the release states. Another press release issued Tuesday states the Daggett County Commissioners decided to appoint Jack Lytle to act as a department head for the sheriff’s office.

“We as commissioners would like to send the message that we value the men and women of the department and have confidence in our law enforcement personnel,” the release states. “We’d like to maintain everything that is positive within the department while looking toward the future and strengthening our relationship with the Department of Corrections.”