Chief Matt Pennington has served as a police officer since 2004, beginning his career with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office where he worked as a deputy sheriff in patrol until he left in 2007 to join the South Jordan Police Department. In January 2024, Chief Pennington was appointed as the first Utah State Security Chief by Commissioner Anderson with the Department of Public Safety, where he will be responsible for overseeing safety and security for schools and other infrastructure state-wide. Chief Pennington holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology with a certificate in Criminology and Corrections from the University of Utah, a Master’s Degree in Management and Leadership and an MBA from Western Governors University.