Utah DNR combining law enforcement agencies

[Oneye]

Interesting, not sure that it really impacts much.

Utah's Department of Natural Resources to combine law enforcement agencies

Utah's Department of Natural Resources will combine its four separate law enforcement entities into one police force, FOX 13 News has confirmed.

www.fox13now.com

 

[heartshot]

very interesting. I wonder if that means all will be trained on wildlife issues?

 

[Vanilla]

Right after they announced the separation of law enforcement in Parks and the Dept of Recreation, which used to be the same.

Gotta love it!

 

[elkfromabove]

very interesting. I wonder if that means all will be trained on wildlife issues?

I see a whole lot of possible changes and unintended consequences. coming out of this decision. The devil is in the details, but I did see the word "committee" and I didn't see the words "public process", so I suspect we'll have more conflicts with the DWR than we do now. Remember, BIG BROTHER is watching!

 

[Vanilla]

I don’t think the DNR needs to go through a public process to determine how to organize its law enforcement agency.

Your city police chief or county sheriff doesn’t do that when they want to restructure or reorganize the chain or command.

 

[notdonhunting]

I don't like this deal, the Park's & Recreation has been losing money for years and I am afraid this is just a way to get the DWR to pay for their over bloated P&R Law Enforcement.
Some of these State Park's have 2 and 3 full-time LEO'S. We do have sheriff departments that can assist.
In Piute County with Otter Creek and Piute Res state park's, there is more state park LEO'S than County Sherriffs. In my opinion that is just wasteful spending.
Why do we have half of these state park's, Piute Res has been empty by the end of July 6 of the last 10 years.
All brought on because of COVID, again my opinion.

 

[elkfromabove]

I don’t think the DNR needs to go through a public process to determine how to organize its law enforcement agency.

Your city police chief or county sheriff doesn’t do that when they want to restructure or reorganize the chain or command.

I'm not saying they need to go through a public process. I'm just saying they won't, which means we'll end up on the short end of this debacle!

 

[Vanilla]

I’m just curious what you think the long end of this would be for you then?

We can absolutely hold public agencies accountable for waste, inefficiencies, incompetence, etc. I just wonder if you think you’ll be getting the short end of the stick in how a law enforcement agency is organized, what would be the alternative that gives you the long end?

 

[hossblur]

I’m just curious what you think the long end of this would be for you then?

We can absolutely hold public agencies accountable for waste, inefficiencies, incompetence, etc. I just wonder if you think you’ll be getting the short end of the stick in how a law enforcement agency is organized, what would be the alternative that gives you the long end?

Funding.

Is the grey truck paid for from license fees or park budgets.?

Are we auctioning off tags for Piute Reservoir or deer?

I like the idea when it comes to WLH type deals. Let him deal with the cops, not fisheries biologists.

Are we going to "require" biology degrees across the board, or, are we only requiring POST grads?

 

[Vanilla]

Great questions. Seems like there is still a lot to work out on their end when it comes to funding, organization, etc. That’s probably why this is going to take until 2028 to get it done.

But to be clear, DWR law enforcement officers are just that: law enforcement. They are not biologists and have not been required to have biology degrees. We call them “fish and game” and “conservation officers” (“COs”), but they are simply POST certified law enforcement officers employed by the DWR to do a specific job. No different than any of your city or county agencies.

Just like Park Rangers. They are law enforcement. Div of Rec…law enforcement.

Having 4 different law enforcement agencies under the same umbrella state agency (DNR) is not unheard of, but maybe they are just looking at a more streamlined approach and organization. I really don’t know what the ultimate goals are outside of what is contained in the news release, which isn’t much.

But I do think the outcry I’ve seen in some areas is a bit confusing. They are just reorganizing the Department of Natural Resources law enforcement arm. I’m not sure why “we” care all that much?

Rec just got their new blue uniforms to separate them from the parks look a year ago. Now they are all going to be the same again. That might be the biggest impact I see in this. Definitely not the end of the world!