Utah state leaders want Salt Lake City staff and police to step up and “restore public confidence, security, and safety in our state’s capital city,” according to a letter sent to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall late last week.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other state leaders said city officials must do more to address “inadequacies” in the criminal justice system in Salt Lake City.
“As Utah’s leaders, we hear daily from business leaders, philanthropists, and citizens who are deeply concerned about the escalating public safety challenges in Salt Lake City,” the letter read. “These stakeholders have urged the state to step in and address the law enforcement and criminal justice inadequacies impacting our capital city.”
The letter — signed by Cox, Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams — called on city leaders to submit a comprehensive safety plan to the state no later than Jan. 17, 2025. The letter was first reported by The Salt Lake Tribune.
State leaders want the plan to outline exactly what the city can do to enforce state and local laws, reduce crime and restore public safety.
While state leaders offered an outline of what they expect and pledged to support Salt Lake City’s public safety efforts, they also seemingly issued a threat that if the city didn’t act, the state legislature would step in.
“… if progress stalls or alignment cannot be achieved, the legislature is prepared to move forward with legislation to increase state involvement and oversight during the upcoming session,” the letter read.
It’s not clear how that action might differ from Operation Rio Grande, the massive intervention undertaken in 2018 that involved a complete overhaul of the region’s homeless shelter system and tens of millions of dollars spent on police enforcement. A 2020 investigation by The Salt Lake Tribune found that roughly eight of every $10 spent on Operation Rio Grande went toward prosecuting and incarcerating unhoused people. That crackdown was also initiated by the Legislature.
In a statement, Mendenhall said it’s been disheartening to see the lingering issues around town, but longstanding issues can’t be fixed overnight.
“I am as frustrated as anybody, including our first responders, that the lasting progress on homelessness that we’ve all worked for has not yet materialized, but long-term progress takes long-term commitment and partnerships,” Mendenhall said in a statement. “The invitation to stay at the table with the state as we tackle one of the greatest challenges cities across this country are facing is an invitation I wholeheartedly welcome.”
Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said in a statement the department has stepped up policing efforts around the city, and the SLCPD is committed to doing more.
“We recognize the important role we play in improving the quality of life for business owners, residents, tourists, and the homeless population in our city – and we recognize more must be done,” Brown said in the statement. “Gaps in the criminal justice system often hinder progress, leaving officers and social workers to navigate cycles of disorder that erode trust and create perceptions of lawlessness. We are determined to break those cycles.”
The state letter comes at an interesting time for Salt Lake City. The city council recently finalized its zoning overhaul for the Power District, and the subsequent development in that area will clean up a consistently run-down area along the Jordan River.
The Legislature’s renewed threat of action also follows a number of other recent interventions by the state in Salt Lake City, including the movement of the Utah State Prison, the creation of the Utah Inland Port, the subsidization of two major league stadiums with taxpayer money worth nearly $2 billion, and the closure of The Road Home homeless shelter.
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