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Show xxnu ur i!;i.:,iKi o 1)1 Alt PlU-l's'- a:i;i-i;i Al tHH '.a? t: ",'.oo v-ui.c, v-ui.c, ur ,v.ui WEDNESDAY June 21, 1989 Vernal, Utah 84078 97th Year No. 25 24 Pages Single Copy 500 Vernal Inside $2,000 a bear 2 Vision Quest for troubled youth 7 Swiss take to Outlaw Trail 16 Record set at trap shoot. 20 autoraew respond By Stvn Wallli Expw Nwi Editor ' "Frivolous" and "without merit" are what Uintah County Attorney Alvin Nash has labeled a notice of claim filed June 9 by Vernal City Police Chief Robert T. Downard and four officers against Vernal City and Uintah County. The claim names Mayor Sam Snyder, Uintah County Attorney Alvin Nash and Shawna Thompson, an employee of the county attorney's attor-ney's office. It claims that those named in the claim had full knowledge knowl-edge of the fact that officers have been cleared of any criminal activity, activi-ty, but continued to publicly accuse the officers and violated their civil rights by improper investigation. Mayor Sam Snyder, Vernal City, said he has never accused police officers of-ficers of any wrongdoing, but "I do not believe they can be cleared of all charges with only one day of investigation." in-vestigation." Allegation of wrongdoing by Vernal Police surfaced last December when Mayor Snyder and his brother Tom interviewed James Warren Kimball, an inmate in the Uintah County Jail. Kimball alleged uwi police officers participated w ih r - him in several thefts in the 1970s. A three-day investigation by Wallace Shulsen, investigator on behalf of the Utah Local Government's Trust, cleared officers of all claims, made by Kimball. "I think the officers (those named in the notice of claim) have lost accountability," ac-countability," Mayor Snyder said. The mayor said he believes the offices of-fices involved should be held to an eight hour shift 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Within a day of their being notified of the notice of claim, Mayor Snyder gave Chief Robert T. Downard a ultimatum either quit a part-time job as sports editor for the Vernal Express or quit as chief of police. The mayor gave Downard until July 1 to respond to the ultimatum. ulti-matum. "I am not opposed to Downard working for the Express, but I am concerned when it interferes with his police work." The Mayor said he believes Chief Downard was writing sports at the Express May 30 at 4 p.m. instead of attending a Drug Tak Force Meeting in Duchesne. According to City Manager Bassctt, Downard was at a meeting with the city attorney. Larry Steele, r I t n. , ) 1 '.' - 1 I 1 aomn) and himself, at 4 p.m. on May 30, the same time as the Strike Task Force meeting. Chief Downard was represented by two ranking officers at the Task Force meeting in Duchesne. Whether or not the mayor has the power to fire the chief of police is a question Attorney Steele is scheduled sched-uled to address Wednesday at Vernal City Council meeting. State statute stipulates that the mayor has the right to appoint city employees with the consent and advise ad-vise of the Vernal City Council. There is no mention of firing an employee in the statute. Mayors lost the authority to fire chiefs of police when section 10-3-91 1UCA was repealed re-pealed by the Utah Legislature on Constitutional grounds several years ago. City Manager Kenneth Bassctt said he is taking the notice of claim seriously. "Any claim of this sort is taken seriously." County Attorney Nash said he hopes they (police) will go through with it "The only thing that would anger mc is if they attempt to settle it out of court" Nash said he never felt better in his life that the charges against the city and county were frivolous and unfounded. They arc stretching the 1983 cimI n;hu taw to the ikkt. All actons ac-tons crc justified and buna fide," Uintah County Cemmiwumcr le tfC tiuiil as "I Saw t-.il t ptrpijfUucr and lU.n that krertng Kimha'4 in the Uinuh Couwy JjuI rauScf than allowing hm ci:!.:i"n 14 Wi-l.ir.gUfl uhcrt he 1 rnanlfd ft fchffiy avju.! if C?4;rg U;c Court y tWuftJ tf d. "jr W If feet, mi,n trtasmrni 4T-1 tv-ct Ctr-lt, Cri a;..r.v4 z:ur.ry lt?.. 14 U-4 Ut ral r-.'.-J Kvrtil I 'd C-i Kir- -l U u-4 tn a f(nt-f.f la to-s?..n a tmriy innry, (4'.kt fat ni4 tVc m- U tut V t-.i ti kif-Yi ..' 4 h-t in l Ctc il t' t hi w -i y j i v.4 .... .... ... . . .. .... , -.--J - : ....a.. . Outlaw Trail MEAN GENE Anlirtson mcels a fateful finish alter al-ter his gang attempts to rob Zicn's Dank. Marshall Ron Gipcon and deputy Paul Ycder succed in heading off Iho gang. The shootout at Main Street and Vernal Avenus is pari of the kick-off for tho host of activities associated with tha Outlaw Trail Festival of Iho Arts. charges and receiving stolen property. cu.. whivh he Ivlicvts u fjr from Kir? sc!f.si.p5xsnivc and las not o!-ur4 57 conviiUw as armour: cJ U l He sl-i tha'.tcr'fJ Ce !4vC Aihk:;c Lf.if.uC j)irg "Ii t an ' . ;-,.u".un:ty It f c U V.xh IV4 ofl iidi aaJ iu tVv tn IfiH,? k." In t-.a-4,c;y4 a4 rirf f:i hal inJf4 a!n-4 '0 )-iiw'f I ine &-4 ry la t f x'-i !.s4Ji ii v-,;-;'.4 f-y U UUi it U tiwrf M k'-p U; -;-t t? w ft r 1 w jf. "-I: T? tVi-s I'ont a f-xtrj a fT.::c n-ff jr w vt tV d tvTk s . . . If f f ' "As fif officef acccuntihtiiy. In rcnv- u Mjyor Snyder's t!'- ((IWm nainum di;ly n4 crurses, Ctcf reenrJs ar.4 art w U ul con : hancc ii' -t. t-i te Sy,lc iVnc rocardi C'.y cn cr s:j cvrr py t.Vm f. s"4 PAL ;y I Ufmvl sft4 ll-rjr a? i' w .Uif 4 cr-.j !.') rfv, ! n'l nr4 f c -K-ft4..-g i-Vjh Mayor Snyder said that if the ca "w -"4 charges, Chief tcwii and w tcul con ; ha ciKSW court, he will bring out stkh Ki4n T. Uvrur4, Vcnul City i:h d.Tarweni and city H thinr as the Drug Strike lnze, lVc ;J "We'll our lading tn Ihf) fve f tens tJan Vi Friday election Ute recall petition meets requirements fi.-;r.4 M '" r.j4"...-it..s, f 4-'.i3 t: u Ciw- ;'-r.-K-f'H ."-if l..v fe-r-il IVjlv.int.Sn-Uj.-i. 1m i.i It. : t- t.i;4 ',:4 ti .: ft 1;..? ifVi -f fi ll .. : V.:: j,:, I rii :.J M .t -.4 Ollicor hurt Officers recognized Two traffic stops incite chases for courage, service - . . . . l . . . ... 1 .... . . . . . . . . . . t . i . 1 j .-: t.lf i-i. .l-.!. i I'i h t: ' C 1 ,- .. 41', S :. IH- t ''. .. -. ! iM ' , ' . 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