AG: Hildale arrests not in the cards
 Shurtleff says report won't lead to polygamous policemen's prosecution
 
Staff and wire reports
The Spectrum
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff

Shurtleff

SALT LAKE CITY -- Attorney General Mark Shurtleff doesn't plan to prosecute the polygamist policemen in Hildale, but he would like the state to take away their law-enforcement certification.

Hildale and adjacent Colorado City, Ariz., are home to the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Officers are cross-certified in the two states.

Following an eight-month investigation, Shurtleff's office concluded that seven of Hildale's 13 officers were practicing polygamists, some officers turned a blind eye to crimes by fellow officers and some officers lied about completing required training hours.

Shurtleff is not pursuing criminal charges on any of the accusations.

"We just don't have the resources to start charging bigamy," he said.

Shurtleff forwarded the report by his polygamy investigator, Ron Barton, to the director of the state's police academy, Sid Groll.

It also will go to Washington County Attorney Brock R. Belnap, who will decide whether to pursue the matter himself.

Belnap said Wednesday he had not yet seen the files, but was told Tuesday by the attorney general's office staff that they would be sending his office the files.

Belnap will treat the information like any other information by reviewing it and making a decision about any potential charges, he said.

The investigation was started after prosecutors filed charges of bigamy and unlawful sex with a minor against Hildale/Colorado City Officer Rodney Holm, who was convicted last August and sentenced to one year in jail.

Utah's Peace Officer Standards and Training council revoked his police certification two months later.

Groll said POST wants to cover all the bases with any agencies potentially involved and make sure they are given the opportunity to file charges if they deem it necessary before POST proceeds with any action.

If no criminal charges are pursued, Groll said POST investigators might look into possible officer misconduct action. However, they are already looking into allegations regarding the Hildale force's training hours.

Groll said five officers, including police Chief Sam Roundy, failed last year to complete the 40 hours of training required each fiscal year for an officer to remain current. Their certifications were temporarily revoked, but reinstated in September.

The attorney general's investigation states that some officers didn't receive all the training they said they had.

Hildale Mayor David Zitting said Barton is a nuisance and Shurtleff is making "a direct assault on polygamy."

Zitting said Shurtleff is going back on his statements that he would not target polygamy itself, but other crimes such as sex with a minor.

Shurtleff said police officers need to be held to a higher standard.

Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith agreed with Shurtleff, saying from the top down there should be a commitment to enforce the law.

Not knowing the facts of this particular case, Smith said he would have to see what the investigation from Shurtleff's office revealed. If there are violations, then action should be taken -- just as action should be taken on any kind of violation of law, he said.

If POST revokes the certification of Hildale officers and there is a need to step up the assistance from the sheriff's office, then Smith said his office would make sure the job got done.

Spectrum Reporter Rachel Olsen contributed to this story.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published Thursday, June 10, 2004
 
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