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WOODS CROSS — Weeks after Woods Cross announced its police chief was on administrative leave, the city has confirmed he is now retiring, but gave no explanation for the timeline of the announcement.
Bryce Haderlie, Woods Cross city administrator, released a statement Sept. 7 saying Chief Chad Soffe retired on Aug. 30. This was 15 days after Haderlie first announced Soffe had been placed on administrative leave, and 19 days after that leave started on July 27.
Yet, Soffe implied he was retiring in a Facebook post on Aug. 11, four days before his leave was announced. In the post, he thanked the officers he worked with and said, "It's time to call it. When you know, you will know."
Scott Buchanan, West Valley police chief from 2000 to May 2022, according to his LinkedIn page, was appointed as interim police chief in Woods Cross on July 27, according to the statement. Haderlie noted in his statement that Buchanan's appointment involved him having to "quickly" take on the new role.
Refusing to offer any further explanation for the timeline of Soffe's leave and his retirement, Haderlie explained in the Aug. 15 statement: "The city does not comment on personnel issues related to its employees, other than to confirm employment status, to ensure that employees' rights are protected."
Haderlie told KSL Wednesday that this was a "unique situation" but that he couldn't explain more details beyond what was shared in the two statements from Aug. 15 and Sept. 7.
Soffe spent 44 years in law enforcement after starting his police service in 1979 as a Murray police cadet, according to his post. Haderlie said in the Sept. 7 statement, "We thank Chief Soffe for his service to Woods Cross city and his many years in public safety."
