TAYLORSVILLE — The current head of the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit has been named the new chief of police for Taylorsville.

The selection of Del Craig was approved by the Taylorsville City Council Tuesday night and officially announced at a news conference Wednesday.

"It's a very awesome opportunity," Craig said. "I'm excited."

Craig has been with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office for more than 17 years, serving in many positions. For a couple of years he oversaw law enforcement services in Taylorsville for the sheriff's office before the city formed its own department. Craig was named head of the Metro Gang Unit more than a year ago.

"It was a very difficult decision" to leave, he said.

Craig replaces former Taylorsville Police Chief Larry Marx, who was fired by Mayor Russ Wall on June 8. Marx said the firing was in retaliation for him being a whistle-blower. Wall stated earlier he simply was looking for a new direction in the police department.

Wednesday, Wall said some of that new direction included more "teamwork" and "customer service" between the department and community. He said those items weren't completely absent before, but "there's always room for improvement."

Craig also addressed the issue of taking the department in a new direction.

"Our focus will be to build partnerships," he said. "Go identify who are customers are, do our very best to meet those needs."

While reporters were asked Wednesday to focus on the present and not past issues when asking questions, Craig admitted he expected he might find a few morale issues in his new department.

"Officers are like other people, they want to be valued," he said.

Seventeen people applied for the chief's position. That number was whittled down to six. Those finalists were interviewed by a committee consisting of the mayor, city administrators and two residents.

Taylorsville police Lt. Wayne Dial, one of the six finalists for the chief's position, was promoted to assistant chief.

Craig will be sworn in as chief at 8 a.m. Aug. 21.

Sheriff Aaron Kennard said his office is now in the process of gathering names, soliciting people who the office thinks are qualified and then submitting names to the Gang Task Force Board. A new head of the Metro Gang Unit could be named by month's end, he said.

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