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BLUFFDALE -- When the clock strikes 12 Wednesday night, police boundaries will change in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley.
Two cities will share the same police force. It's something that's never been done before in Utah.
Bluffdale, which is part of Salt Lake County, and Saratoga Springs, which is part of Utah County, are joining together.
"It's an unprecedented thing," said Cpl. Aaron Rosen with the Saratoga Springs/Bluffdale Police Department. "It's new, serving two counties, but it will be flawless and seamless."
At the stroke of midnight, Bluffdale and Saratoga Springs will be patrolled by the same police force.
"We'll all look the same, we all will work for the same chief," Rosen said. "It will be an assignment to work in either city."
Bluffdale City was formerly patrolled by officers from the Unified Police Department. When their contract for services was up, they started looking for different options and reached an agreement with the city just over the Point of the Mountain: Saratoga Springs.
A new Bluffdale Precinct staff was hired, and five additional Bluffdale officers were brought on.
Bluffdale will now have 24/7 police coverage with an officer within the city at all times and with round-the-clock supervision.
911 calls coming from Bluffdale will now be routed south to the dispatch center in Utah County, then through Saratoga Springs, rather than through UPD.
It's new, serving two counties, but it will be flawless and seamless.
–Cpl. Aaron Rosen
Even though the cities are in different counties, Rosen says citizens should see improved response times.
"Bluffdale City will have their own police cars, Bluffdale officers will wear the same badge, except it will say ‘Bluffdale Police.' Their patches say ‘Bluffdale Police.' And so it provides ownership and a sense of pride for their own city," Rosen said.
This was a move Bluffdale citizens wanted, he said, and the combined force is excited to start work in both cities.
"This will be a first in Utah," he said.
Rosen says they've trained their officers on how to work with both the Salt Lake County Jail and the Utah County Jail.
In a little less than two hours, the chief of police will conduct the first call on the dispatch radio.
E-mail: jstagg@ksl.com
