The Salt Lake City Council Tuesday unanimously endorsed nearly doubling a police department request for 27 new officers, taking the number up to 50. But paying for them could mean a tax increase next year.
The new hires would bring the force to just over 500 police, not including a “float” of 20 more positions to cover routine fluctuations in staffing. The council will vote formally on the hires next week, but it gave its preliminary approval Tuesday, with lawmakers citing strained police staffing and resources as well as a widespread perception among residents that the city is less safe.