National Police week is May 12-May 18, 2024. I would like to highlight the amazing service that our police department provides. First, I would like to introduce our Bluffdale precinct Sergeant, Derek Dalton. Sergeant Dalton was working in Bluffdale from 2012-2015 and is now back in Bluffdale coordinating our department!
Before 2010, the City of Bluffdale was contracting police services with Salt Lake County. When Salt Lake County decided to create Unified Police, Bluffdale looked at several options. The choices were to contract with Unified, contract with a neighboring city or to self-provide. The City Council chose to contract with Saratoga Springs because it was the most cost effective option for the service-level needed at the time.
When we started with Saratoga in 2010, we had 2 police cars and 4 patrol officers and 1 Corporal who work as a detective as well as patrol. Our population in 2010 was 7,500 residents. Today our population has increased to over 20,000. In 2014, when we first started tracking them, service calls were 5,516 and in 2023 our service call volume was 11,292.
I had the opportunity to meet at City Hall with all our officers to hear their concerns. We have a great need to hire more officers due to call volume, the number of calls requiring backup, and the increase in the number of our commercial businesses. We don’t always have enough police coverage in our city. Our new extended stay hotel, grocery store and other business growth will increase the service calls.
Our officers risk their lives every day. This is a list of the types of calls they respond to:
- 911 Calls
- Agency Assists
- Alarms
- Animal Problems, Code Violations
- Assaults
- Citizen Assists, Welfare Checks
- Disturbances
- Domestic Violence and Sex Offenses
- Drug Offenses
- Follow Up calls
- Fraud, Theft, Burglary
- Juvenile Problems/Harassment
- Mental Subjects/Suicide Threat
- Traffic Offenses, Accidents, Parking
- Vandalisms, Suspicious, Trespassing
- Weapons Offenses, Threats
Because of the need to increase our police personnel, our City Council must look for ways to fund the increase in our contract. We are committed to keeping our residents safe. The Police Department has a new non-emergency online reporting form. You can find more information here: www.bluffdale.gov/PoliceReports.
If you need to call police dispatch the number is: 801-798-5600. If it is an emergency, call 911.
Our police department is on Facebook at @BluffdalePolice and frequently posts tips on how to protect yourself. Let’s work together to help our police officers.