Sanilac County undersheriff steps down from position, promotions announced
Sanilac County Undersheriff Timothy Torp will retire from his position at the end of the year, allowing younger generations to rise through the ranks to take his place.
Torp, a 45-year law enforcement veteran, will retire from his current position Dec. 31. He will stay on part-time with the sheriff department to assist the department with security studies for schools, churches and businesses, as well as assisting with neighborhood watch and crime prevention programs, the sheriff department said in a press release.
“Undersheriff Torp has served the people of Sanilac County with great distinction for the past 45-years and I was honored to have him serve for the past two years as my undersheriff," Sheriff Paul Rich said.
After serving with the U.S. Air Force, Torp began his career in 1977 as a Sanilac County Sheriff corrections deputy. After attending the Michigan State Police Academy, Torp was transferred to road patrol, where he worked as a road deputy, drug task force investigator, road patrol sergeant and lieutenant/jail administrator.
Torp retired from the sheriff department for the first time in 2003 after accepting a full-time position as the Deckerville police chief. After he retired as a police chief in 2015, Torp returned to the sheriff department as a deputy/court officer assigned to the Sanilac County Circuit Court.
Torp was selected for the undersheriff position by Rich following his election in 2020.
Lt. Nathan Smith was selected to take Thorp's place as undersheriff on Jan. 1. Smith has been in law enforcement for 25 years, 23 of which have been spent at the Sanilac County Sheriff Department.
The department said Smith has worked as a uniform services deputy, sergeant, drug task force investigator, police dog handler, detective/sergeant and uniform services lieutenant.
In his new role, Smith said he plans to continue to support staff so they have the resources they need to serve their community.
"The running of the day-to-day operations is going to be a new and exciting challenge for me," he said.
Smith has an associates and bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is a graduate of the Michigan State University’sCriminal Justice School of Staff and Command.
“I am pleased to select Lt. Nathan Smith as my next undersheriff," Rich said. "He has a great working knowledge of the law enforcement side of our office and I believe his experience will continue to help our office fulfill its mission to serve the citizens of Sanilac County."
Other promotions
Sgt. Michael Moore was promoted to uniform services lieutenant and deputy Joshua Horst was promoted to uniform services division sergeant.
Moore holds an associate's and bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He has been with the department since 2006, serving as uniform services deputy, drug task force investigator, sergeant and most recently as the drug task force supervisor.
In his new role, which he began Nov. 6, Moore will oversee the operations of the uniform services division, which consists of road patrol deputies and sergeants, as well as the detective bureau and the records bureau.
Horst, who has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, has been with the department since 2009. He has served as a uniform services deputy, drug task force investigator and K9 handler. Horst was also promoted to the position on Nov. 6, the department said.
“I have known both Lt. Moore and Sgt. Horst since they were children," Rich said. "I havewatched them grown into great law enforcement officers and expect them both to do great thingsin the future as they continue to serve the people of Sanilac County.”
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Sanilac County undersheriff steps down from position
