The Utah House passed a bill to dissolve the Unified Police Department, after sponsor Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, introduced an amendment to protect officers currently employed by the force.
Although several mayors of townships and cities that contract with Unified Police, some changed their tune after Teuscher amended the bill to protect current Unified officers who transfer to the county sheriff's office before July 1, 2025.
Under the new version, Unified police officers employed as of May 3, 2023, will retain employment protections that exist in Utah code.Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini, who spoke in opposition to the bill, released a statement Friday saying he supports creating a "Unified Police Department 2.0" with other cities following the dissolution of the department.
Teuscher argues that Salt Lake County residents who live in cities that have their own police forces are taxed twice, once for their municipal police and once for the Unified Police Department. He said the bill would "reset what things were before was created and treat Salt Lake County like every other county in the state."
Rep. Anthony Loubet, R-Kearns, said he was initially skeptical about the bill because he was concerned about the future of the officers currently employed by the Unified Police Department. He voted for the bill after it was amended.
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