Bringing a new individual onto their force, West Bountiful Police Department is recruiting an officer for their 12 position lineup in 2025 – a job search that is ongoing as of Jan. 22.

“We are looking for somebody that has a desire to serve their community,” said Brandon Erekson, West Bountiful Chief of Police. “We look for somebody that is going to overall enhance our culture here at our police department and generally just have a good desire to serve.”

A department that consists of Erekson, an assistant chief, two sergeants, two detectives and six patrol officers, West Bountiful filled a police position during the latter half of 2024 as well. According to Erekson, they are looking for a candidate who is either enrolled in or certified by the police academy.

Erekson said that an officer takes about 12 to 16 weeks to become acclimated to a city. For those in West Bountiful, that period consists of becoming acquainted with a tight community and a smaller agency.

“It’s taking what they’ve learned in the academy and from a classroom setting and actually applying it into real life, you know, experiences,” Erekson said about the 12 to 16 week starting period.

In addition to beginning the recruiting process, the department recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to engage in policing efforts for the presidential inauguration. An effort Erekson received a request to join from a personal connection at the city’s metropolitan police department, the unit sent himself, his assistant chief, one detective and two patrol officers.

According to Erekson, the primary responsibilities consisted of crowd control along the parade line.

During a city council meeting on Jan. 7, Erekson reported that his department had also received an $18,000 grant for DUI enforcement from the state. The police department plans to invest these funds in items such as vehicle cameras, body cameras and portable breath tests.

Erekson said that there are currently no plans to expand West Bountiful’s unit past 12 positions. The individual joining the police department will become a part of an agency that’s been accredited by the Utah Chiefs of Police Association. An accolade provided to a force that meets a series of standards, Erekson was recognized by the association during a City Council meeting last spring.

“Some look at a smaller agency, it’s a little bit tighter-knit group,” said Erekson. “You get to know each other. We really like to have kind of a family feel for our department. Everybody’s accepted, and you know the type of community, the smaller community, they really have the opportunities to actually get out within the community and have positive interactions rather than, you know, straight enforcement actions.” λ