The commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety announced Thursday that he’s retiring after seven years on the job and more than 25 years with the department.
Jess Anderson said on social media that he was retiring to “begin a new chapter with more time for my family.” He added that working with Utah’s Department of Public Safety has been “the honor of a lifetime.”
Gov. Spencer Cox has nominated Beau Mason to replace him, Cox’s office announced Thursday.
During Anderson’s tenure, he was a leader in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a summer of protests against police violence in 2020. His department also eliminated Utah’s backlog of untested rape kits, and he led an unprecedented — but ultimately unsuccessful — effort to decertify Brigham Young University’s police department.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Commissioner of Public Safety Jess Anderson addresses the Multicultural Commission and Martin Luther King Jr. Commission as they meet at the State Office building by the Utah Capitol on Thursday, July 16, 2020, to talk about ways to address systemic racism in the state.
Cox said in a Thursday statement that “our state is stronger” because of Anderson’s leadership. “We’re deeply grateful for his service,” he added, “and wish him the very best in the years ahead.”
Senate President Stuart Adams said in a statement that Anderson has been a “steady hand in uncertain times.”
“For over two decades, he has answered the call, leading with professionalism, unity and accountability, helping to ensure that Utah is not only safe but also prepared for the future,” the statement reads. “Always putting Utah families first, Commissioner Anderson built bridges between communities, law enforcement and government. His service was never motivated by recognition but grounded in a sense of duty. In times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and periods of civil unrest, he led with humility, strength and clarity.”
Mason’s appointment as the new commissioner is subject to Utah Senate approval, Senate Chief of Staff Aundrea Peterson confirmed. He has served as DPS’s deputy commissioner since 2023, according to the governor’s office, after rising through the ranks of the Utah Highway Patrol in his 20-year career.
“I’m grateful for the chance to keep serving Utah and to build on the strong foundation already in place,” Mason said in a statement. “By looking out for the talented people at DPS and working hand-in-hand with our partners across the state and nation, we can keep every community safe and moving forward together.”
(Courtesy Utah Department of Public Safety) Beau Mason
