It was a proud and historic start to 2021 when Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced a new level of partnership and accountability to curb rising crime rates in Salt Lake City. She and I share common interests in providing a high level of public safety in Utah’s capital.
In my many years as a federal prosecutor and U.S. attorney, my partners and I have worked to advance the interests of law and order, with measurable success throughout the state. This year, I am more optimistic about what we can accomplish together in Salt Lake City with Mendenhall’s offer of partnership to federal law enforcement agencies.
Mendenhall showed strong leadership when I stood beside her to announce our combined efforts to, in her words, surgically identify perpetrators in the city who are committing serious federal crimes that threaten others.
“We’re going to ensure that they face the appropriate consequences” and “we will not stand by and allow our residents to continue to be victimized by people that should not be free to roam our city streets,” she declared with clarity and confidence.
As remarkable and encouraging as these newly fortified partnerships are between Salt Lake City and federal law enforcement agencies, they are also quite unremarkable. At least it should be unremarkable that we can readily agree on common objectives for public safety.
I have been honored to serve as U.S. attorney for Utah since President Barack Obama appointed me in 2015, and I have fulfilled leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Justice in the past two administrations. I now look forward to serving at the pleasure of President Joe Biden. During my tenure, no other U.S. attorney in the nation has enjoyed such a unique perspective. I have repeatedly observed that what binds us together as Americans is so much stronger than the issues that would pull us apart, especially when it comes to public safety.
My focus as U.S. attorney on partnering with local government has proven to be highly effective in increasing public safety. For example, recently established partnerships with the Salt Lake County Metro Gang Unit and Ogden City and continuing partnerships in St. George, Utah County, Davis County and West Valley City have resulted in significant reductions in violent crime and drug trafficking carried out by chronic offenders, gang members, and Mexican cartel affiliates.
In my experience, my colleagues across administrations would not disagree with objectives to hold violent offenders accountable, to stem the tide of dangerous drugs that bring death and despair to our neighborhoods, and to seek out those who exploit the vulnerable. Americans are united on these issues and so many more.
In our state capital, public safety must prevail. Without it, residents will be fearful, visitors wary and offenders empowered. Lawlessness begets lawlessness, while law and order fosters progress and prosperity. It makes sense for the Salt Lake City mayor and the U.S. attorney to join forces on public safety, and our constituents should expect no less. Together, we will work with other key partners in 2021 to reduce the crime rate in Salt Lake City.
Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune U.S. Attorney John W. Huber announces an investigation into the Utah Transit Authority at a news conference in Salt Lake City, Tuesday April 4, 2017.
John W. Huber serves as United States attorney for the District of Utah. President Obama appointed him to that position in 2015, and President Trump reappointed him in 2017. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed each appointment.
