WAGONER COUNTY, Okla. - Former U.S. Marshal, Dan David, was appointed as interim Wagoner County Sheriff Monday.
Wagoner County Commisioners appoint Dan David as new interim sheriff. @KJRH2HD pic.twitter.com/YcK4R6De3U
— Cori Duke (@CoriDuke_KJRH) April 18, 2016
RELATED: Grand Jury indicts Wagoner County sheriff, Bob Colbert could be removed from office
It's a story 2 Works for You Investigators broke almost a year ago. A grand jury recommended the removal of former Sheriff Bob Colbert.
Now, County Commissioners appointed Former U.S. Marshall, Dan David to take the helm.
Dan David sworn in as interim sheriff of Wagoner County. Commissioners thank him for "accepting burden" @KJRH2HD pic.twitter.com/SXllMSnexQ
— Cori Duke (@CoriDuke_KJRH) April 18, 2016
Wagoner County Commissioners said today marks the first step in diminishing the negative stigma surrounding the sheriff's office. Following Sheriff Colbert's suspension after the grand jury handed down three indictments of extortion, bribery and conspiracy, commissioners said they hope David can mend a broken department.
Commissioners told 2 Works for You reporter, Cori Duke, David was the man chosen to fill empty shoes.
"There's some negativity that's been going on about our sheriff's department and we needed someone that we felt like, first of all, meets all the requirements to be sheriff," Chris Edwards, Chairman of Wagoner County Board of Commissioners said.
The new sheriff said he initially refused the job "whole heartedly" when commissioners first asked him to step in. He had just retired and was looking forward to settling down with his family. But once he met with commissioners and the district attorney's office in person, he knew he could be what the county needed.
After Sheriff Colbert voluntarily suspended himself from office pending an investigation, commissioners said they needed to appoint someone they knew could be a leader.
"I run a tight ship," Sheriff David said.
He made this clear by stating he will begin looking into everything within the department, starting now.
"We're going to audit the property room," Sheriff David said. "We're going to audit the jail. We're going to audit the money. We're going to look at the equipment. We're going to study the policy and procedures of this sheriff's department."
Sheriff David said the goal is to make every part of the department professional.
"Accountable, that's our goal," Sheriff David said.
He also said he plans to work closely with all law enforcement agencies, stating anybody who brings their prisoners into his jail will be respected and treated properly.
"He's got a lot to do in a short amount of time," Edwards said. "We just feel like he was very confident and capable of doing the job that we and anybody in the county would expect."
Sheriff David will hold the position until the June primary. No democrats filed to run for sheriff, so the winner of the republican primary will be the new sheriff.
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