Unified Police and Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office set to separate after 14 years of joint service

Aubree B. Jennings
·2 min read

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Next week, the Unified Police Department and Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office will officially part ways a year after a bill passed requiring the separation. The split is slated to take place on Monday.

According to a joint press release, UPD was created in 2010 to assist in law enforcement efforts in Salt Lake County and operated under the sheriff. However, in 2023, H.B. 374, titled “County Sheriff Amendments,” was signed into Utah law requiring a major change.

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Sheriff Rosie Rivera spoke with ABC4 at the time saying while she initially opposed the bill, she supported the substitute bill — which had important changes from the initial version — because the separation of the agencies had been brought up every legislative session for years. She said she felt it was time to address the issue head-on.

Rivera said the bill required that the sheriff no longer act as “the CEO over Unified Police Department” and all duties that UPD does for the sheriff will return to the sheriff’s office.

For example, UPD patrols unincorporated Salt Lake County and provides services such as the Metro Gang Unit, DEA Taskforce, and Search and Rescue. These services will now be the responsibility of the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

UPD will continue to patrol Midvale, Millcreek, Magna, Kearns, Holladay, Emigration, Copperton, and the Town of Brighton as those communities chose to continue with their interlocal agreement rather than create their own police departments, according to the press release.

UPD Chief Jason Mazuran expressed optimism about the change, saying the realignment will allow them to “focus our resources on the specific needs of our member communities.”

Officials say they do not anticipate the separation will cause disruptions to services and both UPD and SLCSO are committed to a “seamless transition” and “ongoing collaboration” to keep residents safe.

According to the press release, law enforcement operations in Salt Lake County will appear much like they did before the creation of UPD in 2010, and resemble sheriff’s offices from around the country.

“While UPD and the joint partnership between Salt Lake County and municipal
agencies have enjoyed for decades is evolving with this separation, we all remain committed to maintaining effective collaboration with all agencies for the benefit of our entire community,” Rivera said.

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