PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

August 4, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

SLCPD Chief Mike Brown, Mayor Mendenhall Announce New Ballpark Police Substation

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall joined community members and announced a new Ballpark police substation in the Liberty Patrol Division.

“I’m proud of the work the Police Department has done over the past year to lower crime city wide, including in District 5, where total crime is down nearly 10% year to date,” Mayor Mendenhall said. “As promising as this work has been, I know statistics don’t always translate into the lived experience of residents. This new substation in the heart of the Ballpark community will be a hub where officers can work and have a closer connection to this neighborhood.”

“The Salt Lake City Police Department remains committed to community-based policing,” said Chief Mike Brown. “That model means we as a police department can offer personalized police services to proactively reduce crime and to strengthen relationships within our community. I’m proud of the work we’re doing to focus our attention on the needs of our community. The needs of our community are different, which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Community oriented policing means we as a police department have to go beyond merely responding to crime — we have to – holistically – develop ways to prevent future crime and to help resolve the problems our communities face.”

For about a year, the Salt Lake City Police Department has worked with the business community to identify and secure property for a police substation intended for its Liberty Bike Squad and patrol officers. The Salt Lake Bees and Smiths Ballpark is a cultural and entertainment destination and is a critical piece to our city.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is grateful to the Salt Lake Bees and the Larry H. Miller Group for their support and hospitality.

The SLCPD ballpark police substation will not be a functional police station, like the Public Safety Building or Pioneer Precinct. The substation will be utilized primarily by the department’s Liberty Bike Squad, which is a proactive squad focused on reducing street crimes and building relationships with community members. The substation will give the Liberty Bike Squad the opportunity to have a recharging location central to their patrol area.

The substation will house critical equipment for the Liberty Bike Squad and the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Without this substation, officers would need to travel to the Public Safety Building for breaks, to access computer databases, and other critical essential needs to help serve our community. Now, officers will be able to drop into the substation and stay central to their patrol division.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is working with the city, including city council, to secure lease agreements for two other substations in its other two patrol divisions – Central and Pioneer.

The SLCPD believes these substations could help improve response times and increase police visibility.

In July 2022, the average response time for a priority 1 call for service was 11:27 – an improvement of 1:33 from July 2021 and an improvement of 1:14 from June 2022 to July 2022.

Overall, the average response time for priority 1-3 calls for service in July 2022 was 38:33 – an improvement of 11:21 from July 2021 and an improvement of 5:21 from June 2022 to July 2022.

Renovations to the space that will be used inside Smith’s Ballpark is ongoing. An opening date is to be determined. For operational security for both Smith’s Ballpark and the space being used by SLCPD, no tours are being provided.

Two photos taken during the press conference are being released.

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