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Nowata Sheriff Resigns in Jail Conditions Dispute

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The Nowata County Sheriff and several deputies resigned Monday over ongoing problems with the county jail.

A judge ordered Sheriff Terry Barnett to return prisoners to the jail, which was evacuated last month over a carbon monoxide leak. Barnett said it hasn’t been fixed.

"When I was elected, I said I would do the right thing. I was hopeful to see change in Nowata County, but now I see without support, it is only continuing to create a dangerous situation," Barnett said.

An audit by Tulsa County Sheriff's Department Mental Health Coordinator Michelle Robinette released earlier this month found the jail isn’t safe.

"Under no circumstances will I shove anything under the carpet concerning Nowata County," Barnett said.

Dispatchers are still on the job to take calls, which will likely be handled by the Nowata Police Department or Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.