Reader comments
Cottonwood Heights OKs police force

Great! Another dictatorship where you'll have to protect your wallet!

Another little kingdom with its own police department. Did the mayor and council take into consideration that they will also need detectives, crime scene techs, civilian personnel to run the office, etc., probably not. Oh, and a promise not to raise taxes, right, give it a year of two, it WILL happen. I will stay clear of this little kingdom. Beware of the traffic stops and citations, the new source of city revenue.

As a CH resident, I have mixed feelings about this.

I would much prefer to see a unified county wide police force instead of a dozen (or more) little fiefdoms with all the petty politics and egos involved and duplication of staff and facilities.

However, with the proven experience that the SL County Sheriff is not going to cooperate in meeting CH needs, if not directly disregarding contractual obligations, then CH must take the undesirable step of creating our own police force.

Just what we need another two bit little city in the valley with a two bit little king to rule. Sure have a lot. Cullimore, big shot your not. Remember you not running anything but Mayberry. Two bit is the word of the day. Also, you will live to regret your association with Russo. He will bite you in the butt, mark my words.

As an insider in Taylorsville I can tell you there is a lot of discussion into going back to the county. The leaders are putting on a brave face but behind the scenes they are looking at a return. It is VERY expensive and almost overwhelming to the city. Residents are NOT getting better service and costs are thru the roof. Cottonwood is following the same path and it will cost residents more after a couple of years. Many Tville officers are concerned for their jobs because of finances. Not mismanagement, just very expensive (all the little things add up).

Cullimore is a fool. This is a bad bad idea. What happens when there is an active shooter at Brighton High? They don't have the resources to combat this type of a situation. I feel bad for the residents of CH. All you are getting is a bunch of officers that will have a daily ticket quota. This will be necessary to pay for all of the costs associtated with a police department. The last thing this valley needs is another police agency. Ask anyone who has had a checkbook stolen out of there car. They have to make 14 different police reports because these agencies do not cooperate or talk with one another. This valley needs a Metro Police Agency not 16 different kingdoms. I thought Mayor Cullimore was for a Metro Type agency. I guess he has changed his mind. Too bad it will be the citizens of CH that pay the price. Have fun with those tax increases. I know Cullimore promised they wont happend, but ask T-Ville and Draper citizens. They have been Double Digit increases. Have FUN CH!!!!

RH - Yes, if you read the feasibility study, all those services are discussed in length. Neighboring cities have already called CH to discuss interlocal agreements regarding those services that are costly (CSI, SWAT, etc.). They like the idea of us providing an additional headcount, while they provide the buildings and equipment (as well as current personnel). It's cheaper for everyone involved.
Lee - Winder is the one who killed the UPD. Cullimore was for it. By creating our own force, and having the interlocal agreements discussed above, we actually come closer to the original UPD idea.
Mark - the good news is that IF Russo gets the job, and IF we regret it, we can ask the council to fire him, instead of waiting for years for re-election time.

I will make a prediction or two:
1. there will be no written interlocal agreements, all talk, no walk
2. UPD in the final form was not what was good for citizens, period
3. Russo may get a job, and well, have fun, it will be a wild ride but if you fire him you will be a disfunctional city with a mayor running a pd (officers will be picking up trash in the parks and driving the mayors kids around to give homecoming proposals) and a lame duck chief not being a leader, if you work for them well, poor worker bees

This is just the begining of the demise of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Jim Winder will destroy what's left of the Sheriff's office. He doesn't have the intelligence or experience to run this organization. Next, Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman and Holladay will be leaving if Winder continues to be the "bull in the china shop".

Riverton, Bluffdale and Herriman are very content and happy with the Sheriff's Office they will never leave them. We have excellent officers in the three areas and are very well protected.... I love the Sheriff's Office and the protection they give us.

Jim Winder is the best Sheriff we have seen in more then 15 years. CWH will see a reduction in actual officers and a diminish in service. They will lean on Midvale, who are already understaffed and full of inexperienced officers. This move is nothing more then Cullimore having a kingdom, the guy has his own picture up in each city building like he's important....he's nucking futs. And sadly no matter how "in charge" he thinks he is, the first time a real investigation goes to hell, the Sheriff's Office will be obligated by State Statute to step in and do what it has always done **for 1/3 of the price** Hopefully in a few years Cullimore will be ousted by an election and a real leader can come in and pick up the pieces.