Arizona strips officers' badges because of polygamist lifestyles
 
By Nancy Perkins
Deseret Morning News
 
ST. GEORGE — Former Colorado City town marshal Sam Roundy resigned from his position of more than 10 years at the end of July, taking a wait-and-see attitude toward his possible decertification by Arizona authorities.

"I'm working construction now," said Roundy during a telephone interview several weeks after turning in his resignation. "I'm just taking care of my family."

On Wednesday, Arizona's law-enforcement certification board voted unanimously to strip Roundy and another officer, Vance Barlow, of their badges, said Robert Forry, standards and certification unit manager at Arizona POST.

"There was a compelling, complete presentation of the two cases to the board for final action," said Forry. "Neither one of them attended the meeting and there was little discussion before the vote was taken."

Roundy and Barlow will receive a certified letter detailing the board's position, he said, and decertification will follow in 30 days.

Roundy's family status was central to the state's case to revoke his police certification, which had already been done by Utah officials in March.

During an interview with Utah POST investigators, both Roundy and Barlow admitted to having more than one "female companion" or plural wife. Utah argued the men violated the state's bigamy statute and constitution prohibiting polygamy.

Roundy, the father of 21 children, has one legal wife and two more wives he married in a spiritual ceremony conducted by leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Most residents of Colorado City and Hildale, Washington County, are members of the FLDS church, which preaches plural marriage as a central tenet.

During his interview with a Utah POST investigator, Barlow challenged the state's inquiry into his personal life.

"I personally do not believe that the way I live is a conflict with what the state needs to do to maintain a civilized society," Barlow said, according to a transcript of his August 2004 interview.

Roundy was also questioned about his family and how he investigated child-abuse cases in the twin communities that straddle the Utah/Arizona border. At that time Roundy said he believed his rights had been violated and that he would fight the decertification process.

"I consider I got consenting adults in my house and I don't think they affect my police-officer work," Roundy said, according to the October 2004 interview transcript.

E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com
 
deseretnews.com
Originally published Friday, October 21, 2005
 
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