This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A prime example of the law of unintended consequences is found in legislation passed six years ago that reformed the state retirement system.

It was passed to avoid crippling budget obligations in the future, but it created a crisis of another kind.

With cops under fire everywhere, either being targeted themselves or feared because a few have abused their power, Utah lawmakers have worked on legislation to require body cameras, to enhance background checks and other measures to make police more accountable.

But they have ignored the fact that, through other legislation, they have made policing challenges even more difficult and have added to the problem by making law enforcement a much less desirable career choice.

"We used to get several hundred, even 1,000, applicants for 20 to 30 openings," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder. "Now, you might get 100 applicants for 15 to 20 openings."

That problem was echoed by Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown, who said several factors have made policing less attractive as a career option for young people.

Among those factors are the scrutiny the police face nationwide in light of several officer-involved shootings — many of black people — following routine traffic stops. But other reasons include low pay and poor benefits.

The benefits problem was exacerbated by legislation sponsored by then State Sen. Dan Liljenquist in 2010 that reformed the retirement system to put more of the responsibility for retirement savings accounts in the hands of the employee and less on long-term obligations by the state.

Part of that legislative package dealt with law enforcement.

Before, officers could retire after 20 years at 50 percent of their salary calculated by the average of their three highest-paying years.

That was changed to a requirement of 25-years service to qualify and only 37 percent of the three highest-paying years average.

For a young recruit with a family looking at a career option, that does not look beneficial in a stressful profession like law enforcement, said Winder.

And not only is it harder to attract recruits, police officers and sheriff's deputies are not staying in the profession.

A study by the Utah League of Cities and Towns last summer found that 50 percent of the hires in police and sheriff's departments had resigned within six years.

With the new retirement law, officers who make between $40,000 and $50,000 a year must wait 25 years to retire, putting them into middle age in an often physically demanding profession, and then just get 37 percent of that salary.

Utah has a relatively strong economy, Winder noted, so it's not difficult for officers to find better paying jobs.

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Speaking of cops: Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz has done it again.

Chaffetz introduced a bill in March that basically would disarm federal officers responsible for enforcing laws on federal lands.

Now he has doubled down. Last week, Chaffetz placed an amendment to the Department of Interior appropriations bill that would take away the BLM and Forest Service's policing abilities.

"None of the funds made available by this act may be used to pay the salary or the expenses of employees of the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior to carry out law enforcement functions on federal land."

So while once again showing disdain toward federal officers, Chaffetz also was chastised by the Ballots Not Bullets Coalition for "ominous" comments he has made that could be taken to justify violence by anti-government groups against federal agents.

So disarm the agents and agitate the armed dissidents. That makes sense.

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Cruz or Cruise: I wrote last May about Larry Meyers, one of the delegates elected to represent Utah and the National Republican Convention on the Ted Cruz slate, posting on the delegate Facebook page a plea to help pay his expenses for the convention.

"As a strong Ted Cruz supporter, I am committed to supporting a Republican platform that is pro-life, pro-family, and pro-liberty!"

Earlier this month, he posted a thank you to family and friends for all the support.

Then, this week, on his own Facebook page, he posted pictures of himself enjoying a family cruise, just before going to the convention, on the Carnival Miracle, from Long Beach to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. —