Colorado City law officers warned
 
By Patrice St. Germain
patrices@thespectrum.com
 
ST. GEORGE -Law enforcement officers with the Colorado City Marshal's Office have been notified in writing and in person by Peace Officers Standards and Training officials in Utah and Arizona that if officers are not carrying out their duties, they will be replaced.

The problems with officers from the marshal's office, which includes a chief, four officers and a reserve officer certified in both Arizona and Utah, stem mainly from refusing to take action in what the police called "civil matters" and defying court orders.

Since last May when Bruce Wisan, a Salt Lake City certified public accountant, was named the court-appointed special fiduciary of the United Effort Plan Trust, the financial arm of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he has been the overseer of all church-owned property.

Despite the court order, equipment and several buildings have been dismantled and removed from UEP property.

Soliciting help from officers of the polygamist communities of Hildale and Colorado City has been unsuccessful.

"I need law enforcement cooperation," Wisan said. "The real test is whether Hildale and Colorado City police will function as true law enforcement officers or function as an arm of the church."

Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith and Utah POST director Rich Townsend met with Colorado City Town Marshal Fred Barlow and Hildale Mayor David Zitting on March 14.

Utah Public Safety Commissioner Robert Flowers followed up with a letter to Barlow and Zitting two days later, commenting on the positive and productive results of the meeting.

However, Flowers also stated in the letter that "if evidence is produced that your agency or officers are not carrying out their duty to interpret and enforce the law correctly, I will assist Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith in placing officers in your jurisdiction who will."

Attempts to reach Barlow went unanswered Tuesday. Smith was also not available, but Rob Tersigni, the media spokesman for the Washington County Sheriff's Office, said if officers were removed, he did not think the sheriff's office would be affected too drastically. He said the department has one full-time officer out there patrolling who does not receive many calls.

"We would not have a problem unless everything hit the fan at once," Tersigni said. "We have enough people to give plenty of coverage."

But even if the officers were removed, Tersigni doesn't foresee an increase in calls.

"The calls may increase some, but I would assume that they (people in Hildale affiliated with the FLDS church) would not call us but church security to keep it in-house instead of coming to us."

Arizona POST executive director Tom Hammarstrom said he met with leadership in Colorado City last week and talked about the officers obeying the law and honoring court orders.

Hammarstrom said the meeting was very successful and currently, there are no open cases against any Colorado City police officers.

But Wisan still has issues that need to be addressed. Last month, Wisan and attorney Zachary Shields, who is representing Wisan, attempted to conduct depositions about missing equipment believed to be owned by the UEP.

Wisan said law enforcement and other people refused to answer and had until last Thursday to respond.

"My attorneys have given a number of different opportunities and they failed to respond," Wisan said. "Now we have a motion to compel."

As far as the actions taken by Utah and Arizona POST departments, Wisan believes they are moving in the right direction.

"The approach is proactive and what they are trying to accomplish, I feel good about it," he said.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published March 29, 2006
 
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