1 year in, West Valley's Crime Suppression Unit celebrating success


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WEST VALLEY CITY — Many communities are taking a unique approach to fighting crime, including one of the biggest cities in Utah.

West Valley suffers from an image problem of being one of the most dangerous cities, but police are hoping to change that with a new unit that's already making a difference.

In early 2015, the West Valley City police department implemented a new task force called the Crime Suppression Unit, or CSU. Fast-forward a year and the team is busier than ever.

KSL Investigators went along with police officer Joe Tan Monday night and immediately came upon a hit-and-run accident. The suspect ditched his car at an apartment complex and took off. Police found heroin inside his vehicle and suspected the car had been stolen.

Officer Joe Tan (left) of West Valley Police Department's Crime Suppression Unit investigates following a hit-and-run accident where drugs were found in a vehicle. (Photo: KSL-TV)
Officer Joe Tan (left) of West Valley Police Department's Crime Suppression Unit investigates following a hit-and-run accident where drugs were found in a vehicle. (Photo: KSL-TV)

The CSU is tasked with cracking down on crime, but these officers are different because they don't work 911 calls. They're proactive. The team looks at trends and relies on intelligence to zero in on hot spots.

In this case, Tan was patrolling an area known for burglaries, stolen vehicles and drugs when he came upon the crash and the drugs.

"I'm just going to test these," he said, referring to the evidence collected. "It's heroin. Green means heroin."

In just the first year, CSU recovered 133 stolen vehicles, 900 thousand dollars in stolen property and 79 firearms. The team also made 380 felony arrests. While crime hasn't taken a dip in West Valley yet, the city hopes CSU will make a dent in the long run.

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Mike Headrick

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