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Show Cn!idisite JPolikel1 By GARY R. BLODGETT News Editor Despite potential feelings and problems that may arise, future consolidation of law enforce-nent enforce-nent among Davis County communities may be necessary. THIS WAS brought to light at a recent State Criminal Justice Convention held in Ogden. Attending the convention were Davis County Sheriff Brant Johnson, president of the Utah Sheriffs Association; and Bountiful Police Chief Larry D. Higgins, president of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association. Noting that economic conditions and increased in-creased crime in rural areas may necessitate changes in law enforcement activities, there was considerable discussion about how adequate adequ-ate law enforcement could accomplished. "I'M NOT suggesting that agencies throughout through-out the county be consolidated into one department," depart-ment," Sheriff Johnson emphasized. "Law enforcement should remain a local function as long as cities can provide adequate service." The sheriff stressed that all he is attempting to do is to acquaint cities of the "alternatives" to law enforcement procedures whether they be by individual agencies, consolidation of agencies, or by "contracting" county services. ser-vices. IT WAS noted at the conference that all counties are experiencing some duplication of services and that consolidation of law enforcement enforce-ment agencies may be the answer for some smaller cities, especially those with qess than 10 officers. Sheriff Johnson and Chief Higgins agree that "adequate levels of (law enforcement) serv ice and patrol are necessary but they are becoming a problem with increased crime and tightening of city budgets. "FOR SOME cities, it is becoming almost impossible to fund police departments wi:h adequate personnel and equipment to provide good police sen ice and to incs':g,i'.e the increasing in-creasing number of major crimes being committed." com-mitted." said Sheriff Johnson. "And this U not to criticize the efficiency of small police departments, but sou can't expect a three or four-m.-.n department to hanJ!c all the law enforcement need of a city. They are hard-working and diligent officers but it just can't be done." HE NOTED that the county sheriffs department depart-ment and large city police departments have the manpower and specialized training for investigative in-vestigative services to ensure proper crime prevention measures. Communications has long been a serious problem among law enforcement agencies. AN EMERGENCY communications system for North Salt Lake residents dialing 911 is being solved, "but still has a lot of kinks to be worked out," according to North Salt Lake Police Chief Val Wilson. He explained that Mountain Bell Telephone is in the process of switching all prefix numbers of residents living south of Center Street (Cadahy Lane) to a "Bountiful prefix." "RESIDENTS WITH a 328 prefix dialing 91 1 would have their calls forwarded to the Salt Lake City Police Department," the chief explained. ex-plained. "This would necessitate a relay and a lengthy delay in having the call switched to Davis County dispatch in Farmington." He said that with a Bountiful prefix, all emergency calls will now be directed to Bountiful Boun-tiful Police Dispatch. Bountiful then has direct communications with the Sheriffs Department Depart-ment in Farmington. "WE STILL do not have direct dialing for an emergency (911) number, but it's a big step forv. ard and in the right direction to have the calls sent directly to Bountiful." he said. "At least we're keeping the calls in Davis County and avoiding a lot of confusion that existed before." Chief Wilson said he knows of at least two deaths in recent years that probably could have been avoided if there had not been such a long delay because the emergency call went to Salt Lake City rather than to Bountiful and hence to Farmington where emergency service is rendered. ren-dered. CHIEF HIGGINS said he would favor a "central dispatch system" for south Dais County. "Being big is not always better, but I belies e a central system would be beneficial to all south Davis County communities." He suggested that such a dispatch system be operated by a professional communications director and that a communications' panel (board of directors) be organized with representatives repre-sentatives from each city and county area involved. in-volved. CHIEF WILSON said he, too, would like to see a central dispatch center operated either by Bountiful or South Davis District Fire Department. Depart-ment. But beyond consolidation of communications, communica-tions, both police chiefs were reluctant to suggest sug-gest consolidation of law enforcement agencies. agen-cies. THEY AGREED that cities should provide their own police protection, if possible, and call for assistance from neighboring communities communi-ties when ncessary. "As long as there are personalities involved, it would be very difficult to combine or consolidate in any way law enforcement between cities," said Chief Wilson. CHIEF HIGGINS said most of the suggestions sugges-tions being aired by the Utah Criminal Justice System result from a statewide queslinnnaiie ent to many non-lawmen as well as police officers asking what are the most critical issues that confront the entire criminal justice system. The majority of response from the questionnaire question-naire concerned local law enforcement and how to improve law enforcement with a restricted res-tricted budget. AT THE same time. Gov. Scott Mathcson asked the conference delegates to identify the major criminal justice issues facing stale and local jurisdictions and to establish short and long-range goals for improving the total criminal crimin-al justice system. Some police chiefs in north Davis County also agreed with the concept of consolidation of law enforcement but said they doubted it would save money. LAYTON CHIEF Daren Green said consolidation consoli-dation of police functions and service "is in the future," but that consolidating departments would not save money. Clinton Police Chief LcRoy Webb agreed. "CONSOLIDATION would allow more equipment and manpower to be available, but anytime you improve coverage or manpow-er, it's not going to save money," he said. |