S.L. County sheriff race challenging

No matter what happens, Aaron Kennard says, this is his last run for Salt Lake County sheriff.

Kennard is seeking a fifth term as the county's top law enforcer. But his last campaign for sheriff has so far proven to be his most challenging. After 16 years in office, Kennard unexpectedly was forced into a primary election against challenger Brent Cardall following the GOP's convention in April.

Kennard, however, isn't overly concerned.

"I beat him in the convention 56 to 44 percent. I just didn't beat him bad enough. You have to have a super majority," Kennard said. "I've never gone through a convention battle. That's fine. It just rejuvenated me to get off the campaign six months early."

Cardall, a regional administrator with Adult Probation and Parole, unleashed strong criticism of Kennard during the convention.

One of the biggest issues on Cardall's platform is the Oxbow Jail, which has sat vacant for three years. Currently, only its laundromat facilities are used to help the Salt Lake County Jail.

"As a citizen and as a law enforcer I'm concerned we're not utilizing the resources we have," Cardall said. "Officers risk their lives on the street on a daily basis. He's tied their hands because he can't book people into jail. We need to utilize the resources we have. This is the most expensive laundromat in the nation. It's not a good thing."

If elected, Cardall said he would ask for more money to open Oxbow, a building he says never should have been built in the first place, or lease or rent the building out.

But Kennard, who has repeatedly been turned down in his requests of the County Council for more funding for Oxbow, said Oxbow really isn't a campaign issue.

"Oxbow is a blip on the radar with all the big things that need to be done," he said. "It's the cheapest laundromat in the country because it's run by inmate labor. He's struggling to find issues."

Kennard said his two main focuses if re-elected will be the continued promotion of the Unified Police Department and dealing with jail beds, both the utilization of them and finding alternatives to incarceration.

The UPD, which would be similar to the current Unified Fire Authority, now has the support of Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and the mayors of five cities, Kennard said.

"It's the time to join forces," he said. "This is something I'm a strong advocate of."

Jail space has been a hot issue in Salt Lake County as of late. Corroon and the County Council want the jail population reduced by diverting less-violent offenders to treatment programs in place of incarceration. So far, 150 beds have closed at the jail.