Utah Sheriffs Association urges funding for jails, aviation and DNA testing

Tracy Glover, King County Sheriff and president of the Utah Sheriffs Association, briefed a legislative subcommittee on sheriffs' priorities and recent developments.

Glover said sheriffs do not have a formal funding request this year but recommended that the Legislature support adding 84 contract jail beds (increasing funded beds from about 1,600 to 1,684) to address anticipated bed‑space shortfalls and called for supporting a $7,200,000 request to bring condition‑of‑probation reimbursement to the formulaic 50% level. She described these items as formulaic and predictable funding streams that help counties plan for corrections programming and facility needs.

On public‑safety services, Glover said the Department of Public Safety’s aero/aviation bureau has seen growth in call volume and is now used roughly half the time for law‑enforcement missions and half for search‑and‑rescue; she urged sustained support for the aviation fleet. She also backed ongoing investment in enhanced DNA testing and lab capacity, saying local agencies rely on those services.

Glover said sheriffs are working with federal partners on a proposed public‑land search‑and‑rescue funding bill in Congress but urged state support in the meantime to sustain aviation and lab services used by counties.

The committee did not take a formal vote on new sheriff requests; several committee members thanked sheriffs for their partnership and encouraged continued coordination with the Department of Corrections on bed planning.