Sheriff’s officials from Arizona and Utah said in federal court that a local police department serving two polygamous towns should be disbanded.
The four-day hearing on whether to dissolve Colorado City Marshal’s Office, which serves the towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, continues Tuesday. The defense is scheduled to present its side on Wednesday and Thursday.
A handful of police from the embattled Colorado City Marshal’s Office face decertification, and the U.S. Department of Justice wants the entire agency dissolved.
In March, a jury found the agency did not protect non-members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
On Monday, sheriff’s officials on both sides of the state line described their relationship with the agency as strained, and told the judge they also favor disbandment.
The judge has many options for making the Marshal's Office follow the law, and disbandment would mean starting with the most extreme one, said attorney Jeff Matura, who represents Colorado City.
“Disbandment is an unprecedented request,” Matura said. “No judge in the history of the United States has ever ordered a municipality to disband their police department.”
Colorado City police have made efforts to rebuild relationships with the Mohave and Washington county sheriff’s offices, but have not received a positive response, Matura said. He thinks other remedies should be considered before disbandment.
“Our proposed remedy is additional training, additional policy provisions, a mentorship program, including bringing independent third parties in to work with this police department,” Matura said.
