A new public safety partnership between the Utah Inland Port Authority and Salt Lake City will bring 12 additional police officers to the city’s Westside industrial and warehousing area.
The officers will be funded through a $2.5 million public safety allocation approved earlier this year as part of an agreement between the two entities. The funding comes from tax differential generated within UIPA’s jurisdiction and is intended to support ongoing public safety needs as development continues in the Northwest Quadrant.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the investment will help the city keep pace with growth in the area while supporting businesses, workers and nearby neighborhoods.
“This is responsible growth in action,” Mendenhall said in a press release. “Through our partnership with the Utah Inland Port Authority, Salt Lake City is turning growth in the Northwest Quadrant into direct, ongoing investment in public safety.”
The Salt Lake City Police Department currently has 630 sworn officers. Once recruitment and training are complete, the department will grow to 642 officers. The new officers will initially work out of the Pioneer Precinct at 1040 W. 700 South, though city and UIPA officials are exploring a future police office closer to the industrial corridor.
Police Chief Brian Redd said the added officers are needed as the city continues to grow. The officers will focus on the Westside industrial area, including issues such as construction-site crime, illegal dumping and street racing.
“These additional officers will give our department more dedicated capacity to serve the west-side industrial and warehousing areas, respond to emerging issues and build stronger relationships with the businesses and people working in this part of Salt Lake City,” Redd said.
The public safety funding is part of a broader $5 million allocation approved earlier this year by UIPA and Salt Lake City. In addition to the police funding, $2.5 million was directed toward Great Salt Lake wetland conservation through the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
UIPA Executive Director Ben Hart said the investment reflects recommendations from the recently completed Northwest Quadrant Baseline Study and Preferred Scenario Recommendations, which examined transportation, environmental quality, economic conditions and other impacts tied to development in the area.
More information about the study is available through the Utah Inland Port Authority website.