When emergencies happen, speed means everything. Whether it’s a break-in at a business or a lone worker in distress, every second counts. But across Utah, help is increasingly arriving too late — not because people aren’t calling for it, but because the system designed to protect them is under severe strain.
The increased pressure on Utah’s police forces and emergency response services can partly be explained by sheer numbers: Utah consistently ranks as one of the fastest growing states by population in the U.S. Since the 1990s, Utah has added about half a million people every decade, with the state’s population expected to hit 5.6 million by 2065.
Police pressures
Exacerbating these pressures is the fact that Utah is facing a shortage of officers. According to the latest “Crime in Utah” report, the state only has about 1.67 sworn officers per 1,000 residents, which is significantly below the national average of 2.4.
In my discussions with law enforcement leaders, the issue of retention often arises. Many departments in Utah, particularly those in smaller counties, struggle to retain officers as personnel leave for larger municipal departments or neighboring states offering better salaries.
Given these pressures and officer shortages, police forces in Utah are adjusting their response time benchmarks, effectively lowering the bar. In Salt Lake City, the police have changed their goal for responding to the highest-priority incidents from five minutes to 10. The most recent available data suggests that their average response time is now about 14 minutes for “priority two” incidents and more than 30 minutes for “priority three.”
Role of technology
Faced with these pressures, many police departments are turning to technology to help ease the burden on officers. In Salt Lake City, the police are investing in drones to help improve response times and offer better real-time information. Utah’s 911 dispatch centers are utilizing artificial intelligence to handle non-emergency calls. In Heber City, AI software is being used to help with tasks such as routine administrative work, freeing up officer time.
However, in my opinion, there is also an important role for the private sector to play in providing tech-driven solutions that can protect individuals and businesses in Utah.
Safety economy
In the tech space, there is a growing emphasis on the “safety economy,” where private sector players such as alarm providers, monitoring centers and property managers work together to improve incident response.
When an alarm is triggered at a residence or commercial site, tech platforms can leverage AI and smart response management software to identify and dispatch the nearest licensed security responder. In many cases, these responders are able to arrive on the scene within minutes, often faster than police response times for non-life-threatening incidents.
Onsite, responders verify the situation and determine whether police involvement is necessary. In this way, they can provide reassurance to individuals and businesses while taking the pressure off the police to focus on genuinely life-threatening incidents.
Hybrid public safety models
This model benefits both the public and police departments. By filtering and verifying incidents before escalation, we can help reduce unnecessary dispatches and allow officers to focus on serious emergencies. At the same time, we can also ensure that individuals and businesses are not left waiting during vulnerable moments.
Importantly, this is not about replacing law enforcement. But in a state as dynamic as Utah, a “hybrid model” that can leverage the speed provided by tech players is becoming increasingly necessary.
Closing the gap
I have seen for myself how long response times carry real economic consequences for businesses in Utah. A delayed response to a burglary or vandalism incident can mean lost inventory, operational downtime, higher insurance premiums and shaken confidence. For homeowners, the emotional toll of waiting for help during an active incident can be just as damaging.
While it will never replace the police completely, nor should it, the smarter use of technology can help close the widening gap between when an incident occurs and when help arrives. By combining public services with the latest innovations in safety technology, we can ensure that when Utahns call for help, someone is quickly on the way.