The Taylorsville Police Department reached a significant milestone back on July 1 – its fourth birthday. With the pandemic still causing headaches – though much improved from the previous year – TVPD came into existence on July 1, 2021.

This year, the local police agency received a welcome fourth birthday present, courtesy of the Utah Highway Patrol. After discussing the change for two or three years – and after hiring more troopers to get the job done – UHP formally accepted law enforcement jurisdiction over Bangerter Highway.

TVPD Chief Brady Cottam admits, the change hasn’t been particularly significant yet – with daily temperatures soaring close to 100 degrees. But he also knows that will change a few months from now, when Old Man Winter starts dropping snow and letting it stick on the highest-speed thoroughfare in Taylorsville, other than the belt route.

“Our department has normally responded to about 100 incidents per year on Bangerter Highway – most of them in the winter, when the road is slick,” Cottam said. “On especially bad, snowy days, I could have all of my officers tied up on the highway for three or four hours. So, (UHP assuming jurisdiction) is a welcome change I had been encouraging since (TVPD) first became a department.”

Running from the Salt Lake City International Airport south to Bluffdale, then east to I-15, Bangerter Highway is only in Taylorsville for 15 blocks – from 4700 South to 6200 South. 

“It’s my understanding that is the busiest stretch of Bangerter Highway,” Cottam said. 

His traffic enforcement Lt. Jaren Fowler has heard the same.

“About 60,000 vehicles pass over our section of Bangerter Highway every day – that’s the number I have read,” Fowler said. “We see extreme freeway speeds on there. I believe the UHP decision to patrol Bangerter is a good one. It frees up our officers to do more on Redwood Road, 5400 South and in our neighborhoods.”

TVPD has 67 sworn law enforcement officers. That number will not be impacted – and no officers will see their patrol hours reduced – as a result of the change.

“This change will benefit our Taylorsville residents, especially in the winter, because our officers will be able to respond more quickly to accidents in other areas,” Fowler said. “In the past, Bangerter Highway has gotten so dangerous during winter storms, our department has had to make the decision to close it entirely. That requires a lot of manpower. Now we can assist UHP if those kinds of closures are necessary – but it will be their primary duty.”

Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson has also been aware of this pending jurisdictional change on Bangerter Highway for quite a while.

“Our officers have been called to Bangerter Highway for many issues, including heavy snow and construction,” the mayor said. “With UHP taking over, it relieves pressure on our officers. I’m pleased the state came up with the (UHP funding) necessary to make this change.”

Cottam reports his agency has not added many officers in its first four years of existence, even as the number of people and vehicles in Taylorsville has gone up.

“I believe our Taylorsville Police Department has grown by five officers total in our first four years,” he said. “We are able to cover the city effectively. But it is really, really a good breath of fresh air not to have the responsibility of patrolling Bangerter any longer.”

Cottam reports his officers received a fair pay raise back in January. He says Taylorsville elected officials are keeping their promise – made when the new agency was first established in 2021 – to keep his officers’ salaries competitive with the many other law enforcement agencies across the Salt Lake Valley.

“I don’t ask for new people or equipment unless I really believe it is necessary and will make our citizens safer,” Cottam said. “Honestly, I appreciate the frugalness of our city council. It forces (TVPD) to think outside the box.”