Utah Highway Patrol

Utah Highway Patrol
Abbreviation	UHP
220x140px Patch of the Utah Highway Patrol
Agency overview
Formed	1923
Preceding agency	State Road Patrol Police
Employees	1,018 (as of 2004)
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	State of Utah, USA
Map of Utah Highway Patrol's jurisdiction.
Size	84,889 square miles (219,860 km2)
Population	2,645,330 (2007 est.)
Legal jurisdiction	Utah
Governing body	[[Superintendent]]
General nature	Law enforcement Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Salt Lake City , Utah
Troopers	538 (as of 2004)
Civilians	480 (as of 2004)
Agency executive	Daniel Fuhr, Colonel
Parent agency	Utah Department of Public Safety
Facilities
Stations	29
Website
http://des.utah.gov/index.html
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) is the functional equivalent of the state police for Utah. Its sworn members, known as Troopers are certified law enforcement officers and have statewide jurisdiction. It was created to "patrol or police the highways within this state Utah and to enforce the state statutes as required."

Issued Vehicles and Weapons

The UHP has a mixed fleet of vehicles: Ford CVPI, Dodge Charger, Chevy Z71 Suburbans, and multiple Dodge and Ford pickups. The UHP also issues its troopers take home cars, which can be used within 50 miles of their assigned county. The large Ford Crown Victorias previously used statewide have been superseded by special-edition Ford Mustangs.

The UHP issues its state troopers the Glock 17 Gen 4 9mm caliber or Glock 18 9mm machine pistol (The Glock 18 is issued to Section 18: Governor's Security Detail Troopers only). (Troopers may also carry a personal weapon, provided it is chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45 auto.). Troopers are also issued the Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun and each patrol vehicle carries a Colt AR-15/M4 carbine assault rifle. Prior to issuing AR-15's, The Patrol began participating in a program with the US Government and purchased surplus M-14 rifles. Troopers also carry tasers, expandable batons, and pepper spray. The UHP continues to issue and utilize the M-14 rifle, especially in rural areas of the state. The carbines are primarily issued to Troopers in urban and densely populated areas.

Fallen officers

Utah Highway Patrol police cruisers

Two UHP motorcycles

Since the establishment of the Utah Highway Patrol, 15 officers have died while on duty.

Controversies

DWI Task Force

The UHP has been involved in several incidents which have gained local news attention.

UHP cross controversy

On November 20, 2007, a judge ruled that the 14 white crosses erected by the Utah Highway Patrol Association could remain in place. An atheist group had filed suit, claiming the memorials were a violation of the separation of church and state. However, on 18 August 2010, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the white roadside crosses used to memorialize the deaths of 14 Utah Highway Patrol troopers are unconstitutional, government endorsements of religion on public lands. "We hold that these memorials have the impermissible effect of conveying to the reasonable observer the message that the state prefers or otherwise endorses a certain religion." The Utah Highway Patrol Association had claimed that "roadside crosses, in particular, are secular symbols," and have erected signs saying "not a state endorsement of any religion."

1-877-JAIL-FON

The 1-877-JAIL-FON is a service phone number created by the Utah Highway Patrol that allows people to practice the "one phone call" from jail if arrested for a DUI (Driving Under the Influence of some substance that impairs driving ability).

See also

• List of law enforcement agencies in Utah
• State police
• State patrol
• Highway patrol
• Taser

External links

• Utah Highway Patrol website