City Works to Keep Taylorsville Food Pantry Open

The City of Taylorsville is pleased to announce the Taylorsville Food Pantry will remain open inde nitely. For many years, Tri-Park Services (a local nonpro t) has faithfully managed and operated the pantry — with great success and the appreciation by all who have been served. Sadly, late last year, Tri-Park organizers and sta determined they would no longer be able to sustain those e orts.

In response, Taylorsville City administration, in collaboration with Utah Food Bank, began considering options to keep the pantry doors open and, thankfully, identi ed another local organization to manage operations.

Congregation members of the Intermountain Baptist Church, located within Taylorsville, established a nonpro t and began distributing food to others in need at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have been rendering aid ever since. Their volunteer experience, in conjunction with city support, has allowed the pantry to remain open and to continue to provide food assistance to those in need.

Particulars as to the exact hours of operation (number of days per week and the time of day), reporting needs to stakeholders and ownership transfer of Tri-Park Services will be solidi ed in the coming weeks, but the goal remains the same: Like minds and like hearts working to feed the hungry.

Taylorsville elected o cials and the administration are grateful to all who have dedicated themselves and provided such a great service in the past, and likewise appreciate those who are willing to contribute into the future!

Please feel free to contact Jay Ziolkowski, the city’s community outreach coordinator, at jayz@ taylorsvilleut.gov if you have any comments, questions or suggestions.

Taylorsville Officer Wrangles a Goat, er Sheep

Check this space each month for news about the Taylorsville Police Department (TVPD) and their valuable service to our community.

TVPD O cer Gri th nabbed a goat (that turned out to be a sheep) this past month.

The loose animal was roaming the Barrington Park neighborhood on Sunday morning, Jan. 8. Residents tried for more than an hour to grab it themselves without success before calling Animal Control and the Police Department. O cers initially thought the small, horned animal was a goat, but it was later determined to actually be a black belly sheep.

After some trial and error, O cer Gri th was able to capture the sheep near 1330 West and 4200 South by lassoing it around the neck. The sheep was not harmed and “taken safely into custody.”

Animal Services officials have named the animal Barrington the Black Belly Sheep, after the neighborhood where it was found. The sheep has been residing at the Animal Shelter and as of midJanuary had not yet been claimed.

Tvpd Employee Of The Month

Congratulations to O cer Johnson, our TVPD Employee of the Month. O cer Johnson has served in law enforcement for more than four years. He began his career with Salt Lake City Police Department, where he developed a strong foundation that has served him well in Taylorsville.

O cer Johnson has been with TVPD since the beginning of its formation in 2021. He has served as part of a peer support program and has a contagious optimistic demeanor. Prior to departing Salt Lake City PD, O cer Johnson was awarded the Medal of Valor from SLCPD and the Medal of Courage from Salt Lake City Fire Department after he rescued two children from an overturned vehicle that was sinking in a canal. The Medal of Valor is given to individuals who go “above and beyond the call of duty” and involves “risk or imminent danger to their own lives with the purpose of saving or protecting human life.”

O cer Johnson has displayed that same sel essness in Taylorsville as he has served our own community. His main responsibility with TVPD is working as a patrol o cer. In this role, he responds to any type of police call for service that can be imagined. Additionally, O cer Johnson is bilingual. TVPD o cers have several resources available to them to assist in communicating with others who may not speak English or who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, the best resource is always another o cer. This is especially true when investigating a serious violent crime and is why Sgt. Cheshire of our TVPD Violent Crimes Unit nominated O cer Johnson as Employee of the Month.

Sgt. Cheshire pointed to three separate criminal investigations, including child abuse homicide, child abuse and child sexual abuse cases. Sgt. Cheshire said O cer Johnson played a “critical role in all three investigations.” He also noted his ability to “keep the suspects’ focus.” O cers undergo extensive training when it comes to interviewing techniques of both victims and suspects. Our detectives investigating these cases noted how imperative it was to have a translator who was able to understand these techniques.

In his free time, O cer Johnson enjoys camping, shing, swimming, playing and coaching water polo, and spending time with his family. Thank you, O cer Johnson, for your service and dedication to law enforcement and for choosing to be a part of Team Taylorsville!