An interlocal agreement has been adopted by the North Salt Lake City Council which formalizes the city’s police department participation in the North Davis Metro SWAT Team. 

“Fortunately, as a police department we rarely use SWAT Teams in this community,” said North Salt Lake Police Chief Craig Black during the Sept. 2 City Council meeting. “However, on the rare occasions where this is necessary our department just doesn’t have the personnel or the training budget or anything else to maintain a full-time SWAT Team.”  

The formation of the North Davis Metro SWAT Team and the interlocal agreement between its members is a means to provide the community of North Salt Lake with a SWAT Team when that force is deemed necessary. The interlocal agreement was approved unanimously by the City Council. 

The North Davis Metro SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) Team is built out of the participation of the following law enforcement agencies: Clearfield, Clinton, Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Layton, North Salt Lake, Sunset, and Syracuse. The number of participating agents from each contributing entity in the North Davis Metro SWAT Team is determined by the city’s need and population size. Sunset and Syracuse do not have contributing agents at this time, but will receive the benefits of a SWAT Team. North Salt Lake Police Department currently has one officer assigned to the force, and according to Black the goal is to eventually up that number to three officers. 

For several years North Salt Lake had partnered with the Layton Police Department to provide the services of a SWAT Team to the city. Over time the partnership expanded to include many other cities and law enforcement agencies in the county. This growth resulted in the formation of the North Davis Metro SWAT Team in 2024, and the need for a formal agreement between the participating agencies. The interlocal agreement, which was agreed upon by North Salt Lake City Council, will formalize the relationship between the entities, clarify the roles in the organization, and make sure those involved are receiving the full benefits of the SWAT Team. 

The North Davis Metro SWAT Team will be overseen by an executive board consisting of the Chief of Police, Sheriff or a designee of each participating law enforcement agency. The executive board will adopt the bylaws and policies of the team, conduct performance evaluations, and manage the state and federal grant money. The board will appoint a Team Commander who will direct the activities of the SWAT Team under their direction and supervision. 

A monetary fee is associated with participation in the SWAT Team, the amount of which is determined upon by population size. Black assures that it will be money well spent for the city, and that it will eventually break even due to redistributions based on the manpower assigned to the force. The city will also pay the officer’s salary and provide for their equipment. The position on the SWAT team will be filled by a North Salt Lake police officer. All members must be certified law enforcement officers. Participation in the SWAT Team will be a collateral assignment in addition to their regular policing duties. They will be called out as needed.  

Black speaks highly of the North Davis Metro SWAT Team and its leaders. “They are head and shoulders the best SWAT Team that we can effectively participate with.”