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Cottonwood Heights now eyeing own police force

Cottonwood Heights is being petty and impetuous. Of course the Sheriff retains the right to transfer any of the employees as he sees fit to run the organization. That Mayor Cullimore believes "a say" means "the final say" is overblown buffoonary. Cottonwood Heights may believe they can split off and have more control, but it will cost its citizens more to present their mayor with his own toy police department. Look at Taylorsville and Draper. They are operating in the red. Is it really fiscally responsible for Cottonwood Heights residents to "take their marbles" and run just because the mayor is pouting?
Cottonwood Heights shares the pooled services of the Sheriff's Office in addition to their individually assigned deputies. They've got a great deal now and need to make a rational decision regarding their future law enforcement needs.

Dear Just My Opinion,

Did you go to the meeting last night? If you listened correctly you would have discovered that the studies and the budget would not cost the citizens more. It's all planned out and self providing is an excellent idea to ensure better service to those in out community.

And NO! The Sheriff does not have the right to move an employee such as Russo because he was under contract by both parties. I find this very unfair.

The start up costs are more than 3.5 million with the county buy out. The costs to citizens over the next 5 years to self provide police could increase as much as 40% based on Draper / T-Ville. This does not account for the drop in level of service (400 Deputies to 23 officers).

Why do people like just my opinion, who obviosly does not live in Cottonwood Heights, think that can bach our mayor for daring to chalange Sheriff Winder. It seams that the sherrif is trying to punish Cottonwood Heights.

The Sheriff is a cowboy who just does whay he wants because he the sheriff. The Sheriff clearly said before he was elected he thought that Cottonwood Heights would self provide and if he was elected he would do whatever he could to make it as hard as he could for them to leave. He has clearly done that with the punitive transfer of L.T. Russo. Now Sheriff Winder will take this out on the remaining Deputys in Cottonwood Heights. He is drunk with power and will step on anyone in or out of his organization to get his way.

Dear "FACTS,"

You have your facts a little skewed. The actual startup cost is $1.5 million, which would be absorbed into the budget over a period of years. The other $2 million owed to the sherriff's office for the SHERIFF'S startup costs from the beginning of the contract would have to be paid back this year anyway to avoid accruing interest, even if they decided not to form their own police department.

If you purport to have the FACTS, maybe you should make sure before you spread them around.

You sound like you are not a resident up here, because 1.5 & 2 million is alot of money which I would rather not pay right now. The 2 million is not due for another year to the county. As for Lt. Russo, I still do not know what he did wrong and it sound like no one else does because it is private still. So, to say it was a punitive transfer means you have to know what he did. So tell us!
We have great police service now, why do we want to go and have just average. Top 100, let stay there.

I find it hard to beleive that the transfer of one individual could spur Cottonwood Heights to start it's own department. What does L.T. Russo do that any other administrator in the Sheriff's Office can't do? I think Mayor Cullimore is using this issue as a spring board to further his desire to start his own police department at a higher cost to tax payers. L.T. Russo has been off the job for three months and the city has not fallen apart yet!

The reason you don't know why Lt. Russo was put on administrative leave because it was an internal affairs investigation. Robby Russo was an amazing Chief for Cottonwood Heights. The reason the city hasnt fallen apart is because Winder is holding it together by not disclosing the alleged reason he put off Russo and making some chronically uniformed think this is a criminal matter. It's not. Is it not obvious this is just a political attack? Russo has the support of the city and mayor, as well as myself.

and by the way ch citizen,

this money wont be coming out of your pocket or taxes. the city has been saving up and can cover it.

The reason things haven�t fallen apart yet is because Russo turned Cottonwood Heights into a well oiled machine. He treated it like its own police department from branding, to work ethic and customer service. Russo is to Cottonwood Heights what Urban Meyers and Bronco are to their teams. Winder-just a school yard bully that had to be put down.

The sheriff's office is bound by merit commission rules and regs on how they suspend or fire someone. If Robby Russo is on suspension for this long- there is a reason. The problem is-we aren't in that loop of information. Nor will we be. Once the Sheriff's office is finished with its investigation, they will decide what to do. Then we will know what's happening. However, in the interest of privacy, unfair media hype, and justice, it is unwise to speculate at this point. Let the chips fall and deal with it then. My experience says that the sheriff's office has always worked towards the best interest of the public. Let them do their job.

Just let me know when they start hiring