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EAGLE MOUNTAIN — As new developments move in along the borders of Camp Williams, the Utah National Guard said they were looking at ways to keep trespassers off of base property.
Maj. Jared Sorensen said there have always been occasional issues with trespassing, but that the Guard has added a fence, gate and warning signs as neighborhoods started showing up right next door.
"We definitely take the security of Camp Williams seriously," said Sorensen. "We want to make sure that we understand who is out on the range at all times."
Camp Williams is huge, spanning about 28,000 acres, which makes it tough to police all of its borders.
Sorensen said the Guard has partnered with neighboring landowners in some areas to create a sort of buffer zone, often with grazing pastures for cattle. In some areas, however, that hasn't been possible.
He said their biggest concern was that people may wander onto base property for an OHV ride, but find themselves within a firing range.
"Camp Williams is very active as far as military training," he said. "We prepare service members for a variety of missions. We want to make sure that people understand that there's live fire going on, that there is unexploded ordinance, and that if they were to wander into the wrong area, they'd be putting themselves at risk."
What's known as the South Tickville Gate comes almost right up against the backyards of some Eagle Mountain homes.
Soldiers and contractors go through the gate on a fairly regular basis, Sorensen said, even watching closely to make sure no one follows them in.
Sorenson said additional security measures may show up in the future.
"It's a process," he said. "We're always looking to improve, so we're looking to upgrade our fences all the time, looking at increasing signage, camera systems. Just things that we can do to know if someone's there that doesn't need to be."
