KSL INVESTIGATES

KSL Investigates: Sheriff addresses areas of concern in Salt Lake County

Mar 15, 2018, 10:20 PM | Updated: 10:41 pm

SALT LAKE COUNTY – For 25 years, Rosie Rivera wanted to be the top cop.

“I always knew I’d be a police chief somewhere. That was my goal,” said Rivera.

She met that goal last August after Salt Lake County Democrats elected her to fill out the term of former Sheriff Jim Winder.

“I absolutely love it, it’s challenging, but gosh it’s a great job,” said Rivera.

She took office at a time of growing gang violence. That’s one of several issues in the county the KSL Investigators have reported on in the last year.

Other areas of concern: how jail restrictions have impacted crime in the county, and the number of officers wearing expired body armor.

Debbie Dujanovic sat down with the new sheriff to see what’s changed in the seven months since she took office.

GANG VIOLENCE

Sheriff Rivera’s first six weeks on the job were marred by gang violence.

Rivera told KSL that guns, gangs and kids are a real problem in the valley. Gang problems have risen to levels not seen since the 1990s Rivera said, but this time with a twist: most of the gang members are now juveniles.

Last month, the KSL Investigators reported on a troubling fact: police have identified 50 gangs in Salt Lake County and estimate there are about 1,300 juvenile gang members.

The metro gang unit is working with federal agents to target guns and gangs. Rivera said while detectives build cases, the department also needs to focus on schools to prevent kids from joining in the first place.

“It’s going to take some time,” Rivera said. “But I really think we need to increase that prevention piece.”

Getting a handle on the number of juveniles joining gangs and committing crimes is one of her priorities, and so is the safety of her officers.

POLICE SAFETY

Starting in 2016, the KSL Investigators uncovered a serious safety issue for the deputies and Unified Police Department officers. We found 46 percent of the bullet resistant vests worn by officers had expired.

Retired FBI special agent Juan Becerra said at the time, “Why would you want to wear something like this that puts your life in danger, unnecessarily?”

For years, the department didn’t track the officers’ vests or how the officers spent the tax dollars given to them for uniforms and equipment.

Dujanovic said, “There’s no accountability for how the money is spent, just knowing the system the way I knew it, officers could be spending the money on a new sofa.”

Rivera said, “Yes, and we weren’t asking them (what) they were spending the money on so when I became the sheriff, probably the first two weeks they had already started looking at a purchasing card program. The go ahead had never been given.”

She gave the green light on the new program. Officers now have special credit cards that can only be used for uniforms and equipment, like vests. Rivera also set an October deadline for officers with expired vests to swap them out.

“Now we are keeping track and when it is expired, if you’re out of policy, everybody knows you have to be in that policy or you’ll be disciplined,” said Rivera.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Another KSL Investigation in 2017 found former Sheriff Jim Winder restricted who could be booked into jail.

Those restrictions essentially barred the jail from booking suspects unless they had committed a violent crime, such as murder, rape or kidnapping. On the streets, police could only issue tickets and release offenders accused of assaulting officers, or breaking into cars. Officers told us those jail restrictions were putting the public at risk.

Salt Lake City police Sgt. Scott Mourtgos said at the time, “It has been ridiculous. It has created real problems for us, we need to be able to book people into jail again for the crimes they commit.”

After our report, the former sheriff began easing the restrictions.

So what’s happened on Rivera’s watch?

Under her command, the booking restrictions are totally lifted. But Rivera said the jail is still at capacity and because of that, jail staff identify inmates who can be released early to help make room. For example, inmates who committed non-violent crimes, such as a misdemeanor charge of theft.

The jail follows a protocol to identify dangerous offenders to keep locked up.

Rivera said, “If we were to get into a situation where it wasn’t manageable than those restrictions would go back but I don’t see that occurring in the near future at all.”

She said unless the jail is expanded, it will not be able to keep up with the county’s growing number of people living here.

LOOKING AHEAD

After seven months in the top spot and 25 years in law enforcement, the new sheriff said she’ll keep making her mark in Salt Lake County. And she plans to run for re-election.

 

RELATED ARTICLES:

KSL Investigates: Growing number of children in gangs 

Police say jail restrictions wreaking havoc in Salt Lake County

Inspection shows hundreds of SL County law enforcement officers have expired bullet proof vests

KSL 5 TV Live

KSL Investigates

Matt Gephardt meeting with Denis Hawkins after a rental car company after they ignored his calls fo...

Matt Gephardt

Get Gephardt helps Spanish Fork man clear up insurance claim for rental car damage

Get Gephardt clears up an international rental car insurance standstill.

19 hours ago

FILE - An airplane flies through the clouds in Salt Lake City. (Jeffrey D. Allred / Deseret News)...

Matt Gephardt

How recent airline incidents are changing habits and impacting airfare costs

After a year of headlines lamenting runway incursions and midair close calls, the wheels may be coming off for the airline industry. Literally.

2 days ago

Josh Kochevar died unexpectedly last month. The unhappy task of writing the obituary fell to his ol...

Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage

How scammers are using counterfeit obituaries to profit off deaths of loved ones

You have probably heard of stories where an empty home was burglarized while everyone was attending a funeral service. Or stories about thieves breaking into cars parked at a funeral. Now, artificial intelligence has opened a new way for crooks to capitalize on grief.

3 days ago

A person scanning a recently generated QR code....

Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage, KSL TV

How to protect yourself from fake QR codes scammers use to steal money and info

Here's what you need to know about QR codes and protecting yourself from scammers.

7 days ago

General view outside of the Delta Center ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on March 19,...

Matt Gephardt

NCAA Tournament basketball is coming to Salt Lake and so are the ticket scams

As March Madness excitement ramps up, so do the odds of buying pricey tickets to tournament games that turn out to be fakes or non-existent.

8 days ago

About a year ago, the KSL Investigators went under the hood of some "connected" smart cars to see w...

Matt Gephardt

Internet-connected cars may share driver info with insurance companies, what it means for premiums

some internet-connected vehicles are sharing our driving habits with our insurance companies

9 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

KSL Investigates: Sheriff addresses areas of concern in Salt Lake County