| Not cleared yet Investigation of FLDS police to remain open | |
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By Patrice St. Germain patrices@thespectrum.com | |
ST. GEORGE - Despite uncovering deficiencies within the Colorado City Marshall's Office, which also covers Hildale, Utah Peace Officer Standard and Training didn't believe the deficiencies were enough to suspend or revoke Utah peace officer certification for officers of that department. POST's recommendation, announced during its meeting Monday afternoon at Dixie State College, was to keep the investigation open and issue a letter of caution to all current Hildale peace officers. But the recommendation was tabled after a motion made by Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. The motion passed unanimously. Shurtleff said his reasoning for tabling the recommendation was that he was concerned that POST would be sending the wrong message to the officers. "By taking action today, I didn't want them to think we we're done and that they've been cleared," Shurtleff said. Part of POST's recommendation was to send a letter to cover specific expectations of the Utah POST Council, which include full compliance with all court orders, fulfillment of each officer's duty to uphold the Constitution of the United States, Utah and Arizona and full cooperation and support of surrounding law enforcement agencies. Tom Hammerstrom, director of Arizona POST, spoke at the meeting about investigations that agency has pending against Chief of Police Fred Barlow, Preston Barlow and Mica Barlow. Hammerstrom said he expected the cases against the officers to be heard before July. Officers of the communities are cross-certified in both Arizona and Utah. In the past, Arizona has decertified several officers, including Sam Roundy, Rodney Holm and Vance Barlow. Utah POST has decertified Holm and Mica Barlow. Since the Arizona investigation is further along, part of Shurtleff's reasoning behind the motion to table the recommendation was to see what happens to the officers in the Arizona cases. Part of the concerns with the officers, members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the belief that their loyalty is to Warren Jeffs, prophet of the church and until August 2006, a fugitive from justice. Despite being sworn officers of the law, the officers take initiatives from church leaders and even during depositions, have refused to answer questions, said Utah POST director Richard Townsend in a statement readduring the proceedings. He also said the police do not cooperate with other law enforcement agencies, although Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said cooperation from Hildale/Colorado City police has improved greatly during the year. Yet Gary Engles, an investigator with the Mohave County Attorney's Office, said he hasn't seen increased cooperation. He also admitted that he no longer seeks help from that agency. Special fiduciary to the United Effort Plan Trust Bruce Wisan has had numerous difficulties with the police department in Colorado City in the past, including an incident where UEP property - a grain elevator - was dismantled and police refused to help Wisan, who is based in Salt Lake City and was appointed by the courts to oversee UEP assets. Wisan estimated that about 85 percent of the people residing in the communities once known as Short Creek are members of the FLDS church. Smith said his deputy who patrols the Hildale area is being approached by people in the community - an indication,he believes, that residents are becoming more accepting of outside influences. Engels, however, said it is the small percentage of non-church members who are approaching the deputy. | |
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TheSpectrum.com Originally published March 20, 2007 | |
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