TVPD News

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City of Taylorsville Newsletter TVPD Arrests Key Suspects in Catalytic Converter Thefts

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

TVPD detectives working with the Utah Attorney General’s O ce Crimes Against Statewide Economy (CASE) Unit arrested multiple suspects, as well as a major buyer, in a catalytic converter theft ring. The suspects arrested on Oct. 18 allegedly committed hundreds of catalytic converter thefts throughout several counties.

These suspects were selling stolen catalytic converters to a buyer, Omar Ernesto Martinez-Gomez, who was then allegedly selling them for pro t. In total, it was suspected that Martinez-Gomez had purchased and sold 3,556 stolen catalytic converters, valued at $915,230 in 423 separate transactions. Martinez-Gomez was booked into the Salt Lake County Adult Detention Center on numerous felony charges.

The extensive investigation, that spanned several months, required the cooperation of multiple police jurisdictions with the end goal of dismantling a major criminal ring. A huge thanks to these agencies, the Utah Attorney General’s O ce and our TVPD Attorney General’s O ce task force (CASE) detective who brought these investigations together. You can read more about the arrest in news articles from KUTV, ABC4 and Fox 13.

There are also steps you can take to deter criminals from stealing your catalytic converter. They include installing an anti-theft device; talking with a certi ed mechanic about etching your VIN number on your converter; parking your vehicle in well-lit areas, near cameras in high-tra c areas or in a locked area or garage, and reporting thefts and suspicious people and vehicles to police. While none of these suggestions are foolproof, they can be a deterrent.

TVPD EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Congratulations to Employee of the Month Brandy Stephens, who is our TVPD o ce manager and one of our civilian employees. With more than 25 years of experience, Brandy has an extensive career within law enforcement.

She has worked for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center, Metro Gang Unit, Serious Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Analyst Team, Unified Police Department and Taylorsville Police Department. Brandy has served in Taylorsville City for 18 of her 25 years in law enforcement.

She regularly demonstrates her ability to bridge the various units within TVPD and has played a role in the formation of each. If you have followed our “About TVPD” articles, you can see how invaluable this ability has been, as we have transitioned to our own Taylorsville City Police Department. Brandy consistently goes above and beyond her de ned role as an o ce manager to being “a key player within our TVPD administrative team,” as described by Chief Cottam. Many within TVPD point to Brandy as “the glue that holds it together.” She regularly assists not only our TVPD administration but every TVPD unit, o cer and civilian employee within TVPD. Often this results in her working outside “normal hours” to complete her regular de ned responsibilities as an o cer manager.

Chief Cottam lists her contributions as incalculable. “Her knowledge of TVPD, city government and the overall city needs has been invaluable,” he said.

Congratulations, Brandy, and thank you for all you do and have done for TVPD and Team Taylorsville!

UFA, City Leaders Serve Thousands of Pancakes at Community Breakfast

Uni ed Fire Authority held a pancake breakfast this past month that drew more than 800 people to Fire Station 118.

“We were so pleased and surprised by the incredible turnout to this event,” said Mayor Kristie Overson. “Not only did we enjoy the delicious breakfast served up by our firefighters, but we were able to learn more about what they do each day to keep our community safe.”

In addition to breakfast, those attending had a chance to tour the re station, see the re trucks up close and gather safety information, and kids dressed up as re ghters themselves.

“It was a wonderful day,” Mayor Overson said. “Thank you to all who attended, and to the Uni ed Fire Authority for planning such a fun morning. We are already looking forward to the next one.”

TOMBSTONE TALES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Taylorsville leaders and residents highlighted in the videos at each of their cemetery plots are: Jim Taney (B-60), Marcus and Mildred Bennion (D-54), Adrian and Gwen Versteeg (F-40), Eliza Spencer Harker (daughter, D-12), Frankie Montoya (E-14), Raymond Bennion Spencer (J-139) and John Taylor, who is buried at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

The late Jim Taney was played by his son Brandon Taney. Jess Hansen played the sexton and other narratives featured: David Oldroyd and Macie Muller as Bennion and his daughter; Craig and Julie Clemens as the Versteegs; Susan Yadeskie as Harker; Aaron Christensen as Spencer, George Dye as Taylor, and Linda Cochran who told the story of Montoya and the cemetery’s Potter’s Field. The Tombstone Tales event occurs every six years due to the amount of work and preparation required for the project; it was postponed last year due to the COVID pandemic. The Tombstone Tales scripts were written by Yadeskie, who chairs the Taylorsville Preservation Committee, and Taylorsville Arts Council Cochair Susan Holman. “Tombstone Tales is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our community and perhaps gain a new appreciation for the history of Taylorsville along the way,” said Mayor Overson. “We hope that the video presentations filmed from the live event will further help bring history to life.”

In addition to the videos, you can also nd online at www.taylorsvilleut.gov an interactive map of the Taylorsville Cemetery, showing all plots, as well as the name, date of birth, date of death and headstone photo (if available) of the person interred there. The Taylorsville Cemetery is owned and operated by the City of Taylorsville.

Youth Council is Sworn In, Ready to Serve

The 2022-23 Taylorsville Youth Council was sworn in before the City Council this past month. They number 15 members, including nine seniors, ve juniors and one sophomore.

Serving as Youth Ambassadors are Dillon Nguyen and Tyne Vanderbilt. The Youth Council will be participating in several service projects in the coming months, including their holiday service project to lay wreaths at every veteran's grave at the Taylorsville Cemetery.

You can nd more information about that project and sponsor a wreath at www. taylorsvilleut.gov under Our City and Wreaths Across America. Also, see the ad on Page 5 of this section.

The Youth Council also will attend the annual Leadership Conference at Utah State University in March.