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After 40 years in law enforcement - five of them as Salt Lake City's police chief during some of the city's most gripping events - Rick Dinse is heading home to Los Angeles, where he plans to sail the ocean, improve his golf game and play with his 3-month-old granddaughter.

"It's time," the 63-year-old Dinse said Wednesday after a police secretary inadvertently leaked the news of his impending retirement to news organizations while sending out the daily crime logs.

When he was sworn in as Salt Lake City's chief in August 2000, Dinse said, he set a five-year target date for leaving. But he won't actually resign until February or March, by which time he hopes to persuade the City Council to consider bonding to finance a new public safety building.

Dinse said his decision to retire is aided by having achieved a crackdown on meth manufacturers and gang members. He also expanded efforts at community policing - working with citizens to fight crime in neighborhoods.

"I hope I've left the place better than when I got here," said Dinse, citing a drop in violent crime on his watch. "I believe I have."

Dinse has become one of the city's most popular police chiefs, but he arrived on the heels of one of the most unpopular - Ruben Ortega, who bequeathed him turmoil and deep morale problems in the police force.

But officers say Dinse has earned their respect and admiration.

Capt. Jack Rickards, a 19-year veteran, said he was disappointed to hear Dinse is leaving.

"He truly cared about the officers, truly cared about their working conditions and them personally," Rickards said. "He was willing to listen and got them willing to listen."

Dinse has been one of the city's most visible chiefs.

He often took the podium at news conferences during the search for Elizabeth Smart and the investigation of now-convicted wife-killer Mark Hacking.

Dinse called the safe and peaceful staging of the 2002 Winter Olympics - just five months after the terror of Sept. 11 - the "highlight" of his career.

But Dinse gives most of the credit to his officers.

"I'm extremely proud of the people here," he said. "Whatever I've accomplished is a direct result of the people in this department."

Capt. Chris Burbank, who was Dinse's chief officer for 3 1/2 years and now works in internal affairs, praised his boss's leadership during the Smart and Hacking cases and the Olympics. But, he said, Dinse's true legacy will be the "leadership example that he gave."

Mayor Rocky Anderson said he didn't try to persuade Dinse to stay, although he added: "I would have been happy if he would have remained during all of my future terms in office." Anderson's second term is up in 2007 and he hasn't said whether he will run again.

"Chief Dinse has been a very good, steady leader. He's put a very good face on our police department for the public," Anderson said. "He has brought real respect to the office of chief of police."

Anderson said Dinse treated his officers fairly but disciplined those who needed it. Case in point: Dinse has suspended officers for using "inappropriate language" around citizens.

"He set a course that leads police to understand everyone's going to be held accountable. He has led with a firm hand," Anderson said.

But Anderson's relationship with Dinse sometimes has been tense - perhaps no more so than during the Smart investigation. Anderson strongly disagreed with Dinse's decision not to release a sketch of a homeless street preacher identified by Elizabeth's younger sister. The sketch eventually led to Smart's return in 2003.

Anderson didn't want to talk about that low point Wednesday. "That's old news."

Elizabeth Smart's uncle, Tom Smart, who wrote a book about the investigation that was critical of the Salt Lake Police Department, said, "Personally, I like Rick Dinse and I wish him well."

Smart said police mistakenly fixated on prison parolee Richard Ricci to the exclusion of all other suspects, including Brian David Mitchell, who ultimately was charged with the girl's abduction.

Nevertheless, Smart said, "There's no question [Dinse] did whatever he could to further the cause. A lot [of the problems] could have been due to bureaucracy."

Dani Eyer, executive director of the Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the number of complaints against the Salt Lake City Police Department has dropped under Dinse's command.

"We have had fewer concerns about the Salt Lake police department than almost any other law enforcement [agency] in the state," she said. "We felt like there has been an effort to train the officers in civil liberties."

Still, Eyer said, "it's certainly not perfect. We do still continue to hear complaints about excessive force [although] they are few and far between."

The ACLU and other groups are still hoping to convince the police department to use Tasers - electronic incapacitators that use 50,000 volts of electricity - only in lieu of deadly force. The department uses them on par with officers' batons.

Members of the City Council have had their differences with Dinse - the council refused this year to raise property taxes to hire as many police officers as Dinse requested - but many said they appreciated his work.

Council Chairman Dale Lambert said the chief has strengthened community policing. "He's been a very good public servant. I'm sorry to see him go."

Councilman Van Turner, who represents the city's southwest side, points to the Pioneer Precinct, which opened in 2003 at 1040 W. 700 South. With around 100 officers stationed there, the police presence has become more visible and "it's made our streets safer," Turner said. "It just has reached out to the community in a whole new way."

Dinse's experience in Los Angeles - where he started as a patrol officer and left as deputy chief - helped make the 2002 Winter Olympics "relatively flawless," said Councilman CarlĀton Christensen.

Christensen added that he had seen Dinse at the police union's Christmas balls. "He's always there with his wife, and [is] quite the dancer, I might add."

Before he goes, Dinse said he and his counterparts in the fire department hope to convince the council to replace the downtown Public Safety Building, which is 50 years old and falling apart. Final costs are unknown, but could be at least $55 million.

The departments hope the public will pay for the structures by raising their property taxes, although a public vote will have to be held.

Detective Jay Rhodes called Dinse a caring and sincere chief who was known to personally respond to officers' calls for backup. He also credited Dinse with using Homeland Security grants to improve the department's technology and equipment and technology, including a SWAT truck, a bomb squad truck and mobile incident command vehicles.

"He kind of brought us into the 21st century, where we need to be," Rhodes said.

Asked if he had any criticisms of the chief, Rhodes replied: "Yeah, he's leaving."

James Hallock, a motorcycle officer who has served the department for 15 years, said Dinse takes an interest in officers and what can make their job better.

"He's approachable," Hallock said, as he cleaned his motorcycle Wednesday afternoon outside headquarters.

"You feel like you can just go up and talk to him anytime you want," he said. "If he walked by right now, he'd probably take a minute to talk to you."

Dinse said his time here has been more exciting than he expected, but "every bit of what I wanted."

And when he leaves next year, it might not be for good. He says he and his wife, Yvonne, like it here so well, they are considering a second home in Salt Lake City.

"My wife and I have been extremely happy here," he said.

Under Dinse's Tenure

Olympic Games

The Winter Olympic Games opened Feb. 8, 2002, in Salt Lake City. The Games were the first Olympics since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and security received more of an emphasis at these Games than any previous. Salt Lake City's police force, federal law enforcement and U.S. military personnel worked together to protect athletes and spectators and the Games proceeded without incident.

Elizabeth Smart

Fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped in the early morning hours of June 5, 2002, from her home in Federal Heights. The abduction became one of the most infamous crimes in Salt Lake City history and Dinse and the Police Department received criticism over how it was investigated. Some of that discussion calmed March 12, 2003, when Smart was found in Sandy in good condition.

Lori Hacking

Mark Hacking shot and killed his wife, Lori Hacking, on July 19, 2004, another infamous crime that drew national media attention. Mark Hacking discarded his wife's body and told the public that she didn't return home from jogging. Police investigated his claims, and Mark Hacking eventually confessed after her body was found in the Salt Lake County landfill.

What's next

* Mayor Rocky Anderson said he will conduct a nationwide search for Chief Rick Dinse's replacement and pick him or her with the help of a to-be-formed selection committee.

* The committee will include members of the police department and the public.

* The Salt Lake City Council provides advice and consent.