Utah County police companies assist fill the shifts of Santaquin Police Division after officer loss of life

SANTAQUIN — Within the wake of the loss of life of Sgt. Invoice Hooser on Sunday, a number of Utah County police companies are working to fill the shifts of the Santaquin Police Division and employees.

The Utah County Sheriff’s Workplace says it created a spreadsheet so different companies can register and fill any shifts wanted so the Santaquin officers can get some much-needed day off.

Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith instructed KSL-TV he believes they’ve a lot of the shifts lined for your complete division by way of Wednesday. Santaquin has 15 full-time officers and two civilian employees members.

“It is hit us onerous,” Smith mentioned of Hooser’s loss of life.

A number of members of legislation enforcement mentioned it is only one means this Utah County legislation enforcement group works collectively.

“In Utah County, it is one massive jurisdiction. That is how we have a look at it,” mentioned Lone Peak Police Chief Brian Gwilliam. “It is a massive household — we’re all brothers and sisters.”

Smith mentioned the teamwork is not simply “lip service” however relatively an instance of how the companies collaborate day by day.

“Each day, we work as a staff,” Smith mentioned. “We stress that. We meet — the chiefs and myself — we meet as soon as a month in individual and there is a weekly assembly.”

Working collectively can save lives

The collaboration, he says, can save lives.

“Criminals – they do not care what metropolis line they cross. They, , they go from metropolis to metropolis. And so we should be working collectively to make it possible for we’re offering the fitting service,” Smith mentioned.

Officers from Lone Peak, Spanish Fork, Payson, Provo, the sheriff’s workplace, and even Utah Valley College and Brigham Younger College got here out to help Hooser and his household Monday. The comaradarie was on show as a procession introduced Hooser’s casket from Taylorsville again to Santaquin.

“(Sunday) was an extremely chaotic day; a number of issues occur actually rapidly, a number of info wanted to be gathered and a number of info wanted to be put out. A number of sources should be collaborated to have the ability to determine this harmful person who had carried out one thing actually, actually horrible and ensuring he did not get the chance to try this once more,” mentioned Utah Freeway Patrol Col. Michael Rapich.

That legislation enforcement household, and people relationships, not solely stopped a suspect from hurting extra individuals; they will even now assist to buoy up a devastated household.

“(We’ll work to) simply really feel their ache and simply sort of put our arms round them as one collective group and to indicate how a lot we love them,” Gwilliam mentioned.