Governor touts police reform in Utah, but is there more to be done?

SANDY, Utah (KUTV) — Gov. Spencer Cox said Utah seized the moment amid a national conversation about policing and made some real changes this year on a bipartisan basis.

But is there more to be done? Cox — and others involved in these discussions — say yes.

“I don’t think we’ll ever be at enough, and that’s what I appreciate about law enforcement in Utah,” said Cox after an event Wednesday morning in Sandy where he ceremonially signed 12 law enforcement-related bills into law.

The governor told reporters he credits police in Utah with being open to change, particularly after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May. The bills passed by lawmakers and signed by Cox beef up training for officers, data reporting requirements, and regulations on using force, among other things.

“I don’t think we’re done, and I don’t think they think we’re done,” said Cox, speaking of law enforcement. “I think that as we gather data, we’re going to find areas where we can improve, and then we’ll implement those improvements.”

Jeanetta Williams with the NAACP Salt Lake Branch called the bills “a good start, but we haven’t stopped there.” Williams said she is already working on new bills for next session which focus on addressing no-knock warrants and requiring an officer to intervene if one of their own is doing something wrong.

Scott Stephenson, director of Peace Officers Standards and Training, said he was a little nervous about what the Legislature might do on police reform. But he said what ended up happening is important for transparency, making police in Utah better, and learning from painful national events.

“I think we can turn this into a positive. I really do,” Stephenson said. “As a result of that, we’re seeing bills, good bills, and pieces of legislation that can make an impact.”

Cox’s signing of the 12 bills came just one day after guilty verdicts were handed down against former police officer Derek Chauvin in Floyd’s death. The event was attended by state leaders, lawmakers, and police officers.

“Most of us are good people that want to serve and do the right things and don’t agree with the actions that were taken by Officer Chauvin,” said Stephenson. “I think justice was served, and we can learn from it moving forward to make sure that we’re constantly checking ourselves and not developing those blind spots as we interact with the community.”