SALT LAKE CITY — Terry Marasco was biking on the Jordan River Trail near North Temple this past weekend when a group of people stood blocking his path.
“I couldn't get across the bridge,” said Marasco. “I had to turn around on the bike and go back outside and get on the road.”
Every time he’s on the trail, Marasco sees people buying, selling and using drugs.
“It is understood by everyone, the police included, that this area is the epicenter of the drug capital of Utah,” he said.
Police are aware of people’s concerns about the trail and have been actively working to make the trail safer for the community by increasing car, foot and bike patrols since last October.
“We have the ability to get out into the community, onto the Jordan River Trail to make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep it safe for the community members,” said Brent Weisberg, the spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Two weeks ago, spanning three days, officers arrested more than 50 people during a drug stop, seizing more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, according to Weisberg.
“We need more shelter beds,” he said. “We're continuing to work with the city and the county and the state to try to request that funding so we can have more shelter beds for our community.”
Those who live in the neighborhood and use the trail feel like it’s going to take a lot more to fix the problem.
“The police have done a good job,” said Marasco. “And we have to keep in mind though, they don't have the full resources to spend here, full-time, which really needs to happen.”
SLCPD’s North Temple Focus Area, in 2023, when compared to 2022, saw a 43 percent decrease in violent crime and an 8 percent decrease in property crime, according to police data. Police have increased the use of public safety cameras and are exploring options to increase lighting along the Jordan River Trail.
Police still want people to call 911 if they see illegal drug use or camping on the trail.
“We don't want anyone to get complacent and not report something,” said Weisberg. “What happens when that occurs is that we don't know about the problem.”
