Pass S.L. police/fire bond

In November, Salt Lakers will again be asked to approve a bond to construct a new public safety center.

In 2007, Salt Lake residents narrowly defeated a proposal to bond for $192 million for four separate police and fire facilities. The measure failed by just 263 votes. Then-Mayor Rocky Anderson came out against the bond days before the election, saying the price tag was too high, which likely doomed its passage.

This fall, in the midst of substantially worse economic conditions, voters will be asked to consider a streamlined proposal for a public safety building and an emergency operations center to house police and fire dispatch and to coordinate large-scale emergencies. While Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank does not yet have a firm dollar figure for the facilities, this proposal will be smaller in scale, which may make it more palatable for voters. And unlike the 2007 election, the city's public safety officials have the full support of Mayor Ralph Becker. Becker, in his recent State of the City address, said the need for "an efficient, modern public safety facility has only increased."

Has it ever. Recently, an on-duty officer was trapped in a police department elevator for 45 minutes. When efforts to pry open the elevator doors failed, he had to exit the car through an escape hatch.

The 50-year-old building, which is too small to meet work-force needs, fails to meet the city's fire codes. Climate control is nonexistent. The structure leaks and the parking garage is crumbling. Evidence from criminal cases is scattered among multiple locations in the city, which increases the likelihood it can be misplaced.

The police department has been meeting with law enforcement representatives from other cities to explore forming an alliance that could result in construction of a single facility for evidence storage. That facility would not be part of the Salt Lake bond. The alliance also could apply for grants, negotiate better prices for supplies and, when appropriate, share resources and staff. These discussions demonstrate the respective police departments' commitment to economical use of resources and talents.

In 2007, the Deseret News editorial board supported the passage of the bond for new public safety facilities in Salt Lake. We are convinced that this will be a better proposal, and the need for new facilities is great. Salt Lake's police and fire agencies serve and protect thousands of people who live, work and visit the city each day. They also provide public safety protection to a city that is the state's capital and headquarters to an international airport and a worldwide church. These agencies need facilities that enhance their ability to do their jobs. Salt Lakers should give these projects their full support.