From Deseret News archives:
Winder irate over cities' going it alone
Cottonwood Heights leaders followed the lead of Taylorsville and Draper and voted to forgo the sheriff and start their own police department. That makes 17 cities across the county with police departments of their own.
And that's one police department too many for Winder.
"It's very clear we've reached a point in Salt Lake County where enough is enough," Winder said. "Every citizen I've spoken to, people are really jaw-dropped by Cottonwood Heights' decision, and they are getting pretty damn sick of the creation of new police departments.
"Something has got to be done, and what that is I don't know."
The remaining contract cities have an idea. In fact, it's one they've been mulling over for more than three years now despite Winder's protests: the Unified Police Department.
A bill at the Legislature this year could finally get the UPD off the ground.
Sen. Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, is drafting a bill that would allow local governments to sign an agreement and pool police services without the sheriff's approval, sources told the Deseret Morning News.
The bill, titled "County Sheriff Law Enforcement Duties Amendments," is similar to one that Winder helped kill during the 2007 legislative session.
Holladay Mayor Dennis Webb said the bill is in no way a dig at Winder. He genuinely believes the UPD model is the right way to go.
"Am I unhappy with the sheriff's department, no, I wouldn't say we are," Holladay Mayor Dennis Webb said. "But I'm also of the opinion that the UPD model is a superior model."
Winder isn't against the idea of a cooperative law enforcement agency. He's just against the model currently pushed by the cities.
The current UPD model, which was crafted after two years of work by county mayors and members of the county council, "wasn't the start of anything. It's like repainting the same car. What does that do ya?"
"Put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig," Winder said.
Winder said he wants a true metro police, where there is "actual consolidation of some of the agencies."
That can't happen until things cool off, Winder said.
"Our guys are pissed. They feel betrayed by Cottonwood Heights," he said.
Something needs to be done soon, County Councilman Mark Crockett said.
With just four contract cities left, residents of unincorporated Salt Lake County are paying more than their fair share for police services, Crockett said.
"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."
