SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah, June 15, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — South Salt Lake City leaders outlined their commitment to review Police Department policies and practices on Friday.
They agreed to seek out opportunities to build and maintain the trust of the community, said a news release from South Salt Lake. Additionally, they committed to listen and create an ongoing dialogue.
“We take the concerns brought forward by our community seriously,” said Mayor Cherie Wood. “Our city wants every resident, business and visitor to the city to feel safe.”
“South Salt Lake City’s Police Department has the local control and ability to analyze existing policies and make necessary changes,” said Police Chief Jack Carruth. “We will take an objective look at how we serve our community.”
South Salt Lake leaders have committed to evaluating Police Department policies using the tools of several community calls to action:
• Signing the Mayor’s Pledge — Commit to Action, the Obama Foundation
o Review police use of force policies
o Engage the community by including a diverse range of input, experiences, and stories in the review
o Report the findings of the review to the community and seek feedback
o Reform police use of force policies
• Reform/Transform — Policy Evaluation of SSL Policing Practices
• 8 Can’t Wait — Evaluation of Use of Force Policy
• Creating a South Salt Lake Citizen Review Board
“We believe there is a solution, it comes from local conversation, listening, and hard work,” said City Council Chair Sharla Bynum, City Council Members At-Large Natalie Pinkney and Ray deWolfe in a joint statement. “We have a history of providing a voice and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. We plan to establish a Citizen Review
Board to create oversight and add a communal component to our police policies.”
“Our Police Department has excellent protocols in place, I am proud to have a public safety team that values diversity,” Wood added. “That is why I support these steps to ensure we serve and protect all residents.”
“Transparency in all our public safety policies and practices is essential,” said Carruth. “My Officers are dedicated to serving arguably the most culturally and ethnically diverse population in the state and know we can benefit from a community-based lens. We will evaluate existing policies and discuss the findings with the City Council and the community.”
