Salt Lake County Deputies Form New Union, Affiliate with NCPSO/CWA

April 20, 2005

Salt Lake County deputies have been frustrated in recent years over the "take it or leave it" system imposed by the County Council for improving wages and other economic benefits. A nucleus of deputies decided in late 2004 that the system needed to be changed, and explored the idea of unionizing the Sheriff's Department. NCPSO/CWA Director John Burpo and then Tucson POA President Rich Anemone spent several meetings explaining how a union would benefit Salt Lake County deputies, and how to get a deputies' union off the ground. The leadership then formed the Deputy Sheriffs Federation (DSF), and began organizing and setting goals.

The result has been an excitement in the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department not seen in recent years - more than 180 deputies (out of 340+) have already joined the DSF. Officers have been elected, including President Jim Winder, Vice
President Shawn Roberts, Treasurer Edward Spotten, and Secretary Dirk Roesler. "We have set three immediate goals for DSF," President Jim Winder said, "including the achievement of bargaining rights, getting a seat at the table for the proposed Unified Police Authority (a new system of county-wide policing), and meaningful input into this year's Sheriff's Department budget." Winder noted that the Sheriff's Department has become less competitive in recent years with other Utah law enforcement agencies in terms of wages and benefits, and that this disparity has resulted in deputies leaving and recruitment standards failing.

"The best candidates for deputy positions are going to the other law enforcement agencies" Winder said. "It is time for Salt Lake County to make public safety it's number one priority." NCPSO/CWA Director John Burpo noted that Utah is fertile organizing territory. "Our office has had many inquiries from Utah law enforcement officers since this affiliation," Burpo said.