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SLCPD Officer Recovers Firearm, Extended Magazine

SALT LAKE CITY — A 45-year-old man is in jail after a Salt Lake City police officer found him in illegal possession of a loaded firearm and an extended magazine, containing more than 30 bullets.

This investigation started at 9:37 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2023, when the patrol officer, assigned to the SLCPD’s Pioneer Patrol Division, saw two people trespassing near 65 North 900 West. This area is a designated focus area for the Salt Lake City Police Department as part of its stratified policing approach and violent crime reduction plan.

The officer and her backing officer contact the two people, including Rodrick L. Dowling.

During the investigation, officers found the loaded handgun and the extended magazine inside a bag belonging to Dowling.

The firearm’s serial number had been scratched off.

Officers also found a clear container with several blue M30 pills.

These pills are known to contain fentanyl.

In addition to the blue M30 pills, officers found a container with suspected methamphetamine.

Officers booked Dowling into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of being a restricted person in possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of an altered firearm. Additionally, Dowling had outstanding warrants.

A photo of the firearm recovered is being released. Media may use this photo with credit to the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Charges are only allegations, and every arrested person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is not the custodian of record for jail booking photos. Utah Code 17-22-30 mostly prohibits the release of jail booking photos. Generally, a jail booking photo can only be released by the custodian of record after a conviction or when law enforcement determines the person is a fugitive or an imminent threat to a person or public safety. In Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the custodian of record for jail booking photos.

In October 2022, SLCPD Chief Mike Brown and Mayor Erin Mendenhall released an update to the SLCPD  Crime Control Plan to lower violent crime, improve response times, fill authorized staffing levels for sworn positions and to continue building community relationships.

The strategies outlined in the Revised Crime Control Plan include expanding recruitment and hiring efforts, developing a violent criminal apprehension team, implementing the Police Civilian Response Team, expanding the department’s call diversion program and its online reporting capabilities.

No further information on this case is being released. Neither the PIO nor the On-Duty Watch Commander are available for interviews.

1 – A Salt Lake City Police patrol officer found this firearm in illegal possession of a man near North Temple and 900 West on July 14 2023 (SLCPD photo).

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