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SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah Transit Authority board member is asking the transit agency to take a look at eliminating its police force.
At a finance and operations meeting, UTA board member Troy Walker suggested they review whether or not the UTA Public Safety Department is necessary to the agency's function.
Walker said contracting with other police agencies in the Salt Lake Valley to serve the transit agency's law enforcement needs could save UTA money, and bring in more experienced officers.
The UTA Public Safety Department said its officers are highly trained, and contracted officers might not offer the same quality of customer service.
UTA officers are state certified, meeting all state standards for law enforcement officers.
The transit agency has controlled its own security services with the safety department since 2003. The department's officers handle law enforcement, crime investigations, crime prevention, public safety and transit fare enforcement.