"More and more the overhead costs of the sheriff are the burden of unincorporated Salt Lake County residents," Crockett said. "Therefore, more and more unincorporated residents should want the same rights the cities have already."

Waddoups' bill "extends the rights that cities already have to the county."

Winder countered that if all 17 cities with their own police departments cut all their overhead costs and merged into one mega-police department, the public would be better served.

"You know how many cops we could put on the street with that much money?" Winder said.

Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore said "there is a real advantage to local law enforcement being able to craft the law enforcement to meet local needs."

However, he didn't rule out the possibility of joining a UPD in the future.

"We're willing to consider anything that makes sense. "We were certainly in favor of a UPD before. We wouldn't rule it out."

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E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com