The sheriff of Platte County is resigning, says the county commission chairman.
Platte County Sheriff David Russell was elected in 2022 at the age of 31. His law enforcement career started at the Platte County Sheriff’s Office in 2012, says his county bio page.
He was also a Wyoming park ranger for six seasons.
The Platte County Commission accepted Russell’s resignation in a special meeting Tuesday morning, Commission Chairman Steve Shockley confirmed to Cowboy State Daily.
Shockley and Commissioner Jeb Baker were present, and both voted to accept the resignation, he added.
Commissioner Ian Jolovich was not present.
Russell’s resignation is effective Sept. 30, said Shockley.
Since Russell is a Republican, the Platte County Republican Party will have the task of choosing three nominees as candidates to fill the seat within 15 days of receiving notice of a vacancy in that office.
The commission will then choose one replacement from the three within five days of receiving the names, state law says.
Russell did not respond by publication time to a request for comment.
Shockley declined to discuss any reasons driving the resignation, citing state laws against public boards discussing personnel matters with the public.
Russell grew up in Wheatland and earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado Technical University while working for the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, according to his official bio on the county website.
He also earned a master’s degree through online studies from the University of San Diego and is “currently working toward his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at Liberty University,” the bio says.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
