Salt Lake County moved one step closer this past week toward preserving the existence of a multicity policing agency within the county.
With a unanimous vote, the County Council gave approval for a special board to govern the creation and management of a Unified Police Authority — similar to the county's Unified Fire Authority.
Two members of the council, Jim Bradley and newcomer Mark Crockett, were asked to sit on the board. A member of the mayor's staff and representative from each of the five participating cities also will be selected to serve on the board.
The group should begin meeting within a month.
"I believe this is in the best interest of the county and all the county residents," Sheriff Aaron Kennard told members of the council.
With a Unified Police Authority, the involved cities will be allowed more of a say in how individual policing needs are met, according to Kennard. His office would take on an administrative role and pick up duties not assumed by the cities — including search and rescue, canyon patrol and court security.
"This is not an attack on (individual cities)," Kennard explained. "This is preservation of law enforcement."
The commission debated, but took no action on, an idea to limit the authority's coverage to the five cities that contract with the county for policing services: Herriman, Riverton, Bluffdale, Holladay and Cottonwood Heights.
Taylorsville, which voted in September to create its own police force, has also been asked to join the authority.
Kennard said he already has the support of Mayor Janice Auger and would welcome a sixth city on the police authority board.
While critics say this push to include Taylorsville is indicative of a desire to regain control of "renegade cities" that manage their own departments, Kennard called the move a matter of mere survival.
Council members appeared to agree.
"It's been a long time in coming, but it's the first step toward bringing some consolidation to this fragmented system we have," said Councilman Jim Bradley. "It makes too much sense. It's hard to argue against it."
Councilman Michael Jensen called the move "unprecedented."
"It's unusual for an elected official to unilaterally give up his authority over a certain area," he said.
Kennard hopes to have the authority established within a year to 18 months.
E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com