New Logan police chief called standout

LOGAN — The name "Gary Jensen" separated itself from a stack of 50 applications for the job of Logan police chief over the past few weeks.

Logan officials interviewed 10 of the 50 individuals who applied for the position, but Jensen's 22 years of wide-ranging law enforcement experience and his academics ultimately won interviewers over.

Logan Mayor Randy Watts announced the choice Wednesday. Watts and the Logan City Council will swear Jensen into his new station next Tuesday.

Jensen, a father of five children ages 5 to 20, is leaving his current position as Vernal police chief in Uintah County, where he's been since 2005.

Since Jensen graduated from Peace Officer Standards and Training in 1986, he's earned an associate's degree in emergency care and rescue, and bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice at Weber State University.

He has worked for the Davis and Box Elder County sheriff's offices and the Centerville and Farmington police departments. He served on SWAT and a paramedic tactical rescue unit for six years

During those years, Jensen was also a firearms instructor and worked a three-year assignment on the Davis Metro Narcotic Task Force. He also carried a part-time job for 10 years as a University Hospital flight paramedic on AirMed.

— Jacob Hancock