After consultation with the Forest Service and Fire officials, the Washington County Commission and the Sheriff will lift all evacuation orders on all cabins in the Pine Valley area, effective 7/12/16 at 0800 hours. Portions of the Pine Valley Wilderness area still remain closed to public access due to the fire and public safety concerns.

Fire personnel will still be in the area as they continue to monitor and strengthen defensible space surrounding the cabins. Residents and visitors coming to the area are asked to monitor fire activity, and use caution around working fire resources. There will still be smoke in the area from fire activity within fire control lines south of Lloyd’s Canyon. Smoke in the area need not be reported as fire personnel will be monitoring the area.

Some Sheriffs in the state are receiving emails from their constituents concerning House Bill 276 The Utah Public Lands Management Act. We have reviewed the bill with Representative Noel and provide the following information:

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St. George City Police Department, Hurricane City Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are working together to identify community members and caretakers of those who have a tendency to wander. Identified individuals may be eligible for a free service which will assist in quickly locating and returning their wandering loved one through the services of Project Lifesaver International.

Project Lifesaver is a public safety program specifically designed to protect and locate missing persons due to wandering, as a result of cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, Autism and Down Syndrome. The program uses state of the art technology to track, locate and return loved ones to their families after having wandered off.

Local emergency teams respond to calls resulting in an average rescue time of less than 30 minutes. Unlike other services, Project Lifesaver does not rely on GPS technology which requires satellite signal. Project Lifesaver utilizes a radio frequency, which allows the device to work in areas where GPS may not, such as inside buildings, in underground tunnels, and under water, etc.

Project Lifesaver is a non-profit organization. To learn more about Project Lifesaver, visit www.projectlifesaver.org.

If you are the caretaker of someone who may qualify for the free service, or have questions about this service, please contact the St. George Police Department at (435) 634-5730. Ask for SGPD Detective Derek Lewis, HCPD Sergeant Brandon Buell or WCSO Deputy Ali Snow.

On October 23rd, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office honored Deputy Robert Keith as our Employee of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2015 (July-September). During that time, Deputy Keith did an outstanding job in his primary duties as a Housing Deputy. Read more →

Our Book and Release schedule at the Purgatory Correctional Facility has changed.  Beginning on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, the Purgatory Correctional Facility will only be conducting Book and Releases on the following days and during the times listed:

Tuesday:       9:00am to 12:00pm

Wednesday: 9:00am to 12:00pm

Thursday:     9:00am to 12:00pm

Sunday:         1:00pm to 4:00pm

During these times, the Purgatory Correctional Facility will have specific staff assigned to this task and, as such, any individuals needing to complete this process should be given the utmost priority. In addition to arriving during one of the allotted time slots, all individuals reporting for a Book and Release will still be required to bring with them a valid photo ID and any applicable paperwork from the Court(s).

On October 13, 2015, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office delivered a nice Halloween surprise to children Read more →

The Bureau of Land Management has issued a Draft Resource Management Plan which will further restrict large areas in Washington County. The public only has until Oct 15, 2015 to comment on the proposed excessive public land regulations.

Washington County has developed a website that will assist you to send your comments directly to the BLM St George Field Office. Below is a sample of the email which will be sent on your behalf, should you choose to voice your opinion on https://secure.washco.utah.gov/signup/blm/ . Please look for the option to send the quick comment or the extended version.

Below is the example of the extended version, which will also help explain the vast proposed changes to Washington County that will impact many in this county. Please take a minute to send your comments via the website. It is fast and easy to use. Please join us in opposing these proposed land regulations so we may all continue to enjoy hunting, hiking, OHV use and many, many more activities which will become prohibited in these proposed areas. To read more about the proposal, visit the BLM NCA Resource Managment website.
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The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and WCSO Search and Rescue teams are continuing to assist in the search for the missing six year old, Tyson Black. Sheriff Pulsipher and county staff have continued to meet with Hildale and Colorado City personnel to plan and coordinate search efforts. Using the expertise and knowledge of the Human Remains Detection (HR) K-9 teams, and experts in the search for missing persons, future searches will be targeted efforts. We will continue to evaluate and identify the highest probability areas and those will be the focus of searches.
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Washington County has always been a great location to enjoy the use of Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs).  The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is continually dedicated to educating the public in the safe and legal operation of OHVs.  Our mission is to reduce injuries and fatalities through education. Read more →

WCSO and the Washington County Drug Court Trackers would like to express their support for National Recovery month. Many of our deputies will be wearing the red ribbon in support of those who have successfully overcome addiction and those who continue to battle addiction. According to the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality in a 2009-2013 national survey on drug use and health, Utah had about 59,000 individuals aged 12 or older who were dependent on or abused illicit drugs within the year prior to being surveyed. You can read more about the study here: Behavior Health Barometer-UT

During the month of September, many local events and celebrations will take place to recognize and increase the awareness of substance addition. We encourage you to support those struggling with addiction and attend an event in your area.