While Mayor Nancy Workman deals with her legal problems, Democratic Salt Lake County mayoral candidate Peter Corroon on Wednesday garnered the endorsement of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Association, the sheriff's employees union.

"Mayor (Nancy) Workman has not placed public safety as a priority in her administration," said Detective Tracy Wyant, association president.

Association members cite the loss of the department's helicopters as well as a reduction in force as their reason for supporting Democrat Corroon.

"By the end of the year, Salt Lake County will have lost 125 deputies," Corroon said in a press conference. "The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office now provides the lowest number of officers per thousand citizens of all our Salt Lake County metropolitan police forces except Draper."

Workman campaign manager Chris Bleak responded that the helicopters were lost as a result of a decision reached by the County Commission before Workman ever took office. He also noted that the primary reason for the reduction in employee numbers has been because cities the sheriff has contracted with have decided to go with their own police force — hiring numerous sheriff's deputies in the process.

Ironically, it was Sheriff Aaron Kennard himself who proposed selling the two helicopters in 2000, hoping that the commission would respond with a departmental wage increase that never materialized. The helicopters were ultimately sold to the state for $1.65 million.

Kennard has not formally endorsed any mayoral candidate, but he said, "I'm a Republican and I vote my ticket."

Kennard said he "wasn't surprised" at the union's endorsement. "They have had a difficult time getting what they need from her." Kennard noted four years ago the union also endorsed Workman's opponent, Karen Crompton.

Corroon would reintroduce one helicopter, defraying the purchase price with a public-private partnership. He also said he will implement the recommendations of a recent study that concluded too many minor criminals are clogging the jail, and he supports an increased cell-phone tax funding enhanced dispatch technology to locate cell phone callers dialing 911.

"We can make public safety a priority without significantly increasing costs," he said.

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