Draper PD starts service

DRAPER — The badges are shiny, the cars new and the uniforms crisp at the Draper Police Department, which began operations Tuesday.

"It will take some getting used to," said officer Karrah Kunzi, who made the switch from the Sandy Police Department. "It's not as busy but I'm excited."

Composed of 23 officers from around northern Utah, the new department is also an experienced one. The average officer has more than 13 years experience. Those in administration average 25 years.

"It's a matter of getting used to working with people who all come from different departments. Everybody is used to doing things a little different," said Kunzi, who is also the only female in the department. "It's my little claim to fame here. But the guys treat me like one of the guys, so I don't feel like the only female."

Things started slowly Tuesday morning as the first call came in at 7 a.m. Someone reported seeing an injured deer on Bangerter Highway. Later in the day officers responded to traffic accidents and a couple of thefts, said Sgt. Michael Beesley.

"The transition has been really smooth. Everybody has worked closely to get this done and to make things go as smoothly as they have," he said. "(As a new department) we have a very unique opportunity to implement community-oriented policing. The success of that is going to be the relationship we forge with the community right up front."

But some residents aren't thrilled about the idea of a new police department. As Kunzi began her patrol of Draper's east side Tuesday, she passed a sign like many others throughout the city: "No Draper Police," with a circle and red slash across it.

"A lot of people don't like change," Kunzi said. "They probably really got to know the people in the sheriff's office and they didn't want to see them go. But growth and change is going to happen. They just need to get the chance to know us, because we're excited to be here."

But she didn't mind the slower pace.

"I'm used to a lot more action, so this is a nice change," said Beesley, who was a Salt Lake City officer for 19 years.

The officers' main goal Tuesday was to get to know the community and make their presence known. That even included officer Eric Braegger stopping to buy some lemonade from a boy's roadside stand.

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