Utah Highway Patrol | |
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Abbreviation | UHP |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 1923 |
Preceding agency |
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Employees | 600 (as of 2014) [1] |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | Utah, United States |
Map of Utah Highway Patrol's jurisdiction | |
Size | 84,889 square miles (219,860 km2) |
Population | 3,101,833 (2017 est.) [2] |
Legal jurisdiction | Utah |
Governing body | Utah Department of Public Safety |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Taylorsville |
Troopers | 458 (authorised, as of 2021) [3] |
Civilian members | 131 (as of 2014) [1] |
Agency executive |
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Parent agency | Utah Department of Public Safety |
Facilities | |
Stations | 29 |
Website | |
highwaypatrol |
The Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) is the functional equivalent of state police for the State of Utah in the United States. Its sworn members, known as Troopers, are certified law enforcement officers and have statewide jurisdiction. [4] It was created to "patrol or police the highways within this state of Utah and to enforce the state statutes as required." [5]
The Utah Highway Patrol is a division of the Utah Department of Public Safety.
Title | Insignia |
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The UHP has a mixed fleet of vehicles: Ford CVPI, Dodge Charger, Chevy Suburbans, and multiple Dodge and Ford pickups. The UHP also issues its troopers take-home cars, which can be used within 50 miles (80 km) of their residence. The Ford Mustang SSP was used from 1985 to 1993 and was highly reliable at the time. [6] The Mustang was then superseded by the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
The UHP issues its Troopers the Glock 17 Gen 4 9mm caliber or Glock 18 9mm. (The Glock 18 was, for a time, issued to Section 18: Governor's Security Detail Troopers only.) Troopers may also carry a personal weapon, provided it is chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45 auto. Troopers are also issued the Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun, and each patrol vehicle carries a Colt AR-15/M4 carbine rifle. Before issuing AR-15s, The Patrol began participating in a program with the US Government and purchased surplus M-14 rifles. In 2016, the Utah Highway Patrol surrendered all of its M-14 rifles back to the US Government, effectively ending its use of this rifle as a service weapon. Troopers also carry tasers, expandable batons, and pepper spray. The carbines are primarily issued to Troopers in urban and densely populated areas. The new issue Sidearm for the UHP is the 17-round Magazine Glock Model 45 MOS 9MM issued with a Holosun Model 509T red dot optics mounted on them. This sidearm replaced the Glock 17 Gen4 9MM. The UHP still allows their Troopers to carry a personally owned sidearm chambered in 9MM 40S&W and 45ACP.
On November 20, 2007, a judge ruled that the 14 white crosses erected by the Utah Highway Patrol Association could remain in place. An atheist group had filed suit, claiming the memorials were a violation of the separation of church and state. [7] On August 18, 2010, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the white roadside crosses used to memorialize the deaths of 14 Utah Highway Patrol troopers are unconstitutional, government endorsements of religion on public lands. "We hold that these memorials have the impermissible effect of conveying to the reasonable observer the message that the state prefers or otherwise endorses a certain religion." [8] The Utah Highway Patrol Association had claimed that "roadside crosses, in particular, are secular symbols," and have erected signs saying "not a state endorsement of any religion." [9]
"1-877-JAIL-FON" was a phone number created by the Utah Highway Patrol that allowed people to practice the "one phone call" from jail if arrested for impaired driving. The intention was to get people thinking about the consequences of drinking and driving as well create an open a dialogue between friends. The program targeted the 21-30 age group. Callers selected to speak with a choice of persons who were unhappy about their predicament, and were educated about the consequences of drinking and driving in a humorous manner. The phone number is no longer available. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
The Iowa State Patrol (ISP) is the state patrol organization in the state of Iowa. Currently, there are just over 267 officers in the patrol, roughly 183 troopers short of their authorized strength of 455. The State is broken into 16 Districts. Their primary concern is enforcing motor vehicle laws, but they also assist with other incidents. These incidents include riots, prison disturbances, labor related disturbances, and providing security at sporting events. The Iowa State Patrol falls under the jurisdiction of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, which also runs the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, also known as DCI.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is the state patrol for the state of Wisconsin and is a division of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The Wisconsin State Patrol enforces traffic and criminal laws, oversees the motor carrier safety and weight facilities (SWEFs), inspects and regulates motor carriers, school buses and ambulances, and assists local law enforcement agencies with traffic safety, civil disturbances and disasters.
The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) is the highway patrol agency for the U.S. state of Kansas. While the patrol's primary focus is maintaining the safety of State, Federal and Interstate highways, it also is charged with providing support for county agencies when tactical, aerial or other specialized services are needed. The Kansas Highway Patrol has statewide jurisdiction, and frequently assists other agencies with emergency calls for service.
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is a division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. It is Florida's highway patrol and is the primary law enforcement agency charged with investigating traffic crashes and criminal laws on the state's highways.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol, also known as the North Dakota State Patrol, is the state police and highway patrol agency for North Dakota, with jurisdiction over the entire state. It is a division of the North Dakota State Cabinet. Colonel Brandon Solberg has been serving as the 17th superintendent since July 1, 2018.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) is the highway patrol agency for South Carolina, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state except for federal or military installations. The Highway Patrol was created in 1930 and is an organization with a rank structure similar to the armed forces. The mission of the South Carolina Highway Patrol includes enforcing the rules and regulations in order to ensure road way safety and reducing crime as outlined by South Carolina law. The Highway Patrol is the largest division of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety and its headquarters is located in Blythewood. This department also includes the South Carolina State Transport Police Division, and the South Carolina Bureau of Protective Services.
The Nebraska State Patrol is Nebraska's only statewide full-service law enforcement agency. Serving Nebraska since 1937, State Patrol troopers perform a wide variety of duties. Those include working with communities to improve public safety, enforcing traffic laws and drug laws, investigating crimes, and enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to motor carriers.
The Louisiana State Police is the state police agency of Louisiana, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state, headquartered in Baton Rouge. It falls under the authority of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. It is officially known in that organization as the Office of State Police.
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) is a department of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, and the official State Police force of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, responsible for statewide law enforcement. The department was founded in 1948 and replaced the Kentucky Highway Patrol. The department's sworn personnel hold the title State Trooper, and its nickname is The Thin Gray Line.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) or Arizona Highway Patrol (AHP) is a state-level law enforcement agency with a primary function of patrolling and enforcing state laws on Arizona highways. Their headquarters are in Phoenix.
The Minnesota State Patrol is the primary state patrol agency for Minnesota and serves as the de facto state police for the state. While Minnesota State Patrol troopers have full powers of arrest throughout the state, their primary function is traffic safety and vehicle law enforcement. The State Patrol is a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
The Texas Highway Patrol is a division of the Texas Department of Public Safety and is the largest state-level law enforcement agency in the U.S. state of Texas. The patrol's primary duties are enforcement of state traffic laws and commercial vehicle regulation, but it is a fully empowered police agency with authority to enforce criminal law anywhere in the state. Also, they respond to emergencies on Texas’s highways. Highway patrol troopers are also responsible for patrolling the state Capitol Complex in Austin and providing security to the governor. The current Chief is Lieutenant Colonel Dwight Mathis.
The Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) is the highway patrol agency for the U.S. state of Montana, for which it has state wide jurisdiction.
The Alabama Highway Patrol is the highway patrol organization for the U.S. state of Alabama, and has complete jurisdiction anywhere in the state. Its Troopers duties include motor vehicle law enforcement and rural traffic crash investigation covering about 69,500 miles of rural roads, as well as special duty performance during emergencies.
The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) was established in March 1937 in the U.S. state of Georgia and is a division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. It is the primary state patrol agency for the U.S. state of Georgia. Although focused primarily on the enforcement of traffic laws and investigation of traffic crashes, the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) supports the efforts of all public safety agencies to reduce criminal activity, apprehend those involved, and respond to natural and manmade disasters.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is the highway patrol and acting state police agency for the U.S. state of Mississippi, and has law enforcement jurisdiction over the majority of the state.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol(MSHP) is the highway patrol agency for Missouri and has jurisdiction all across the state. It is a division of the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Colonel Eric T. Olson has been serving as the 24th superintendent since March 15, 2019.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is the State Patrol organization for the U.S. state of Tennessee, responsible for enforcing all federal and state laws relating to traffic on the state's federal and state highways. The agency was created to protect the lives, property, and constitutional rights of people in Tennessee. The THP is a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol is the highway patrol and de facto state police agency for the U.S. state of Wyoming, and has jurisdiction across the entire state. The goals of the Wyoming Highway Patrol are to make Wyoming's highways safer by reducing the number of traffic crashes, deaths, and injuries; to apprehend and arrest criminals using Wyoming's highways; and to assist motorists in trouble. It is also tasked with providing security and transportation to the Governor of Wyoming.
The Overland Park Police Department is a local police department in Kansas and is located in Johnson County, Kansas. The department was known as Mission Township Police Department prior to 1960.