Security for Fox praised

When Mexico's President Vicente Fox visited Utah, law enforcement officers from several agencies were assigned special duties to ensure the president's safety.

The visit passed without any notable incident, thanks to the efforts of more than 62 state officers from various agencies who provided everything from traffic control, vehicle escorts and special operations.

Estimates given to the Deseret Morning News by the Utah Department of Public Safety, Salt Lake City police and West Valley police show that security provided for Fox's 24-hour visit, which included visits with state leaders and a trip to the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City, cost an estimated $11,000 in overtime pay for officers. Agents with the U.S. Secret Service also helped to enhance Fox's own security detail during the trip. Salt Lake resident agent in charge Glenn Passey said homeland security regulations precluded him from even speaking about to what lengths the Secret Service went to ensure Fox's safety.

"It was a very minimal cost in our opinion as far as security detail," said Jeff Nigbur, who helped coordinate motorcade escorts for the visit for the Utah Highway Patrol. "We have to take this seriously, and we have to take those measures."

In addition to motorcade escorts, the UHP also provided beefed-up security for the state Capitol and for Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. In addition to the governor's detail, 17 troopers served in the motorcade and five troopers served on a special SWAT team.

West Valley police provided several officers who did advance training for security at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. Salt Lake police provided three motorcycle units for Fox's stay at the Grand America Hotel and one officer to block no-parking zones. A 12-officer public order unit was dispatched for the visit to the Governor's Mansion and a seven-officer motor squad accompanied Fox's entourage to the visit to the Rico's food company.

"Certainly no one wants a head of state injured in their city," said Salt Lake Police Lt. Steven Cheever, who added that with an atmosphere of conflicting opinions over immigration, it was especially important to be vigilant.

Huntsman was pleased with the way security was handled, said governor spokeswoman Lisa Roskelley.

"We certainly felt that security was well done and sufficient," Roskelley said, adding although cost was not the major factor in planning for security, it was good to see that spending above and beyond officers' normal duties was kept low.

"Things were well-planned," she noted. "It was really impressive how so many agencies were able to work together. We feel Utah was well-represented."

---

E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com