HERRIMAN, Utah - Wednesday’s Herriman City Council meeting was expected to be a bit fiery. On the agenda, a discussion about the plan to suddenly cut off ties to Unified Police Department.
“We were a little bit blindsided by it,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. “We found out on Friday."
But city council members fired back at the end of the meeting, saying they’ve given UPD months to respond to their concern over wasted money.
One city employee pointed out that the city gives nearly $5 million a year to UPD, but only gets about $4.5 million worth of service. They say that next year, the gap between service paid for and service rendered will be even greater.
“Are we getting what we’re paying for?” questioned one employee.
The city pays for 18 officer’s salaries but only 13 officers are supplied to the city by Unified.
“Throughout the state, there’s a shortage of law enforcement,” said Sheriff Rivera, implying that Herriman isn’t being singled out.
The city announced its plans to separate and said it could do so as early as July 1st if Unified isn’t willing to provide a longer, easier, cost-effective transition. The vote to separate from UPD was 5-0.
Moving forward, Herriman City says they are willing to pay top dollar to officers if it means being able to have a fully staffed department.
