PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

April 6, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

SLCPD Police Officers, Police Community Response Team Shovel Driveways, Sidewalks

SALT LAKE CITY — This week, police officers, detectives, and members of the Salt Lake City Police Department’s new Police Community Response Team (PCRT) helped community members by shoveling snow from driveways and sidewalks.

The teams helped remove snow in the Rose Park and East Central neighborhoods of Salt Lake City.

“The community outreach team is all about helping out our neighbors here in Salt Lake City,” said Salt Lake City Police Community Outreach Officer Dalton Beebe. “We saw it was snowing pretty good outside so thought, ‘hey, let’s help the neighbors out and we went to Rose Park area and started shoveling peoples’ driveways who look like they needed it. The community members over there were really grateful a lot of them were surprised that we were out shoveling driveways, but one gentleman in particular I remember had an oxygen tube in his nose and he was super grateful because he was not able to do it himself, so I’m just glad that we were able to help out our neighbors in any way we can.”

Salt Lake City requires property owners to remove snow and ice from their whole sidewalk adjacent to their property within 24 hours after a storm. This ordinance applies to all businesses and residents. The ordinance requires snow to be removed from the whole width of your sidewalk and includes ADA ramps which go out to the street.

The ordinance protects the safety of every individual in Salt Lake City. It is important snow be removed from sidewalks to allow people to walk and ride safely out of vehicular traffic. Under ADA regulations accessibility to sidewalks for disabled individuals is required.

Today, a Salt Lake City Police officer, while returning to the Public Safety Building, witnessed a community member on a scooter fall after the front tire of the scooter hit a patch of snow and ice. The officer stopped to check on the community member who was not seriously injured.

For more information on city code, please click here.

The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Community Response Team (PCRT) is a program implemented by the department following a recommendation in 2021 for a non-sworn response program to assist with call diversion. PCRT Specialists will respond to low hazard, non-emergency calls for service. The pillars for the PCRT include:

1.      Support – support for public safety responders through call diversion and auxiliary functions.

2.      Service – providing additional support both internally and externally (lockouts, battery jumps, tire changes, etc.)

3.      Community Engagement – emphasis on meeting community members where they live and work.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is providing b-roll and soundbites from the outreach event held Monday April 3, 2023. Media may use the video with credit to the Salt Lake City Police Department. Additionally, two photos are also being released.

Please click here to download a copy.

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