Officers who once worked as part of an informal Davis County Metro Gang Unit are now concentrating on other pressing needs, such as drug enforcement and community policing.
The gang unit had two full-time officers from Layton, one full-time detective and other officers from throughout the county before the agencies recalled their officers in January. That action came after gang activity declined as much as 70 percent in some areas of Davis County.Layton Police Chief Doyle Talbot said the city remains prepared for any return of gang activity.
Last winter, Talbot, whose department headed the coordinated gang effort, put his gang officers back on patrol and reassigned gang coverage to his two community-oriented police officers.
Bountiful Police Chief Paul Rapp said each city now can handle its own gang problems, but the departments still should communicate.
"We've seen drastic reductions in gang-related crimes," Rapp said. But, he said, "you don't do away with gang enforcement because the statistics drop."
Sheriff's Detective Henry Jaquez, the county's only dedicated gang officer, said the redeployment of officers was a good decision because the county's other needs, such as drug enforcement.