On Tuesday, the City Council gave unanimous approval to launch a feasibility study examining the cost to provide law enforcement services in-house.

"There's a desire for more local control," said Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore, who helped spearhead an unsuccessful, multicity effort to form the Unified Police Department.

"With that failure, we felt the need to explore other options," Cullimore said. "The silver lining in all this is that other self-providing cities are reaching out and saying we need to work together more."

Cottonwood Heights is one of a handful of Salt Lake Valley cities - Bluffdale, Herriman, Holladay and Riverton are the others - that still contracts with the county for sheriff's services. Riverton already commissioned a study to self-provide and Holladay is considering doing the same.

Results from west-side Riverton's feasibility study, conducted by Salt Lake City-based Bonneville Research, were unveiled last week.

"Our concern is getting the best services we can for the best price," said Riverton Mayor Bill Applegarth.

At present, Riverton is part of a precinct that includes Bluffdale, Herriman and unincorporated areas of southwest Salt Lake County.

"One of the major frustrations I have right now is that Riverton taxpayers are paying to provide police services to Bluffdale," Applegarth said.

Bluffdale currently pays for 2.5 deputies, which cover the small city for 10 of the 21 round-the-clock shifts. When needed, deputies from other parts of the southwest precinct fill the gap, said Applegarth.

For $2.6 million, the county provides Riverton with 18 deputies and pooled services, such as SWAT, K-9 and homicide detail. Bonneville's study showed that one-time startup costs for its own force would approach $1.9 million, and operational costs for 31 officers would run $3.4 million,

Applegarth said that the county agreed to crunch the numbers on what it would take for Riverton to have its own precinct. He expects to see those estimates by mid-July.

Cottonwood Heights also selected Bonneville Research to conduct its $30,000 study, which should be ready for public perusal by September. The city's contract with the county ends on June 30, 2008.

If more cities exit the county's umbrella, some city officials worry that the county's ability to provide for economies of scale will shrink accordingly.

"The fear I have, if Riverton and Cottonwood Heights leave, instead of dividing the pie among five, it's then among three," said Holladay City Manager Randy Fitts in a recent City Council work session. "If we do sign a lengthy contract, then we're saddled with more expense."

cmckitrick@sltrib.com