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Riverton • The City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday to move ahead with the complicated process of withdrawing from the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Service Area (SLVLESA).

The city of 40,000-plus residents was among several cities, townships and unincorporated areas that form the service area, created in 2007 with the aim of funding regional police services in a more efficient manner.

Under the resolution approved Tuesday, along with one approved last week, the city will pull out of SLVLESA by Dec. 28, but no sooner than Dec. 21. It had to guarantee continued membership for that long to assure that the service area would be able to collect the property taxes owed it by Riverton residents.

City Council members, led by Trent Staggs, believe leaving the service area and contracting with Unified Police Department will save money and provide better service. SLVLESA recently increased property taxes by 9.5 percent.

Jeremy Walker, from the state auditor's office, told the council that the ideal timeline to petition for withdrawal would be by July 18.

Staggs expressed concern about future increases on property taxes for Riverton residents.

"It's been rumored when SLVLESA passed the 9.5 percent tax increase last December, for this year, they signaled they would most likely be calling one for every year for the next four to five years."

Mayor Bill Applegarth expressed his support for the withdrawal saying, "I put out my support for a financially sound move from SLVLESA to a Riverton Police District."

Applegarth envisions contracting with UPD with an agreement that ensures sufficient officers and a local chief, adding up to a more responsive police force and a safer community.

"I can't ever imagine a scenario where I would want to leave UPD," the mayor said. "A small department cannot protect us, and we need protection."

SLVLESA includes unincorporated Salt Lake County; Riverton, Herriman, Millcreek cities; and the metro townships of Kearns, Magna, Copperton, Emmigration and White City.

Herriman also is considering withdrawing from SLVLESA.