"Dark blue is a lot more slimming," he joked at the City Council meeting where he was formally sworn in as police chief Tuesday.

Until last week, when he was chosen to become police chief, Russo wore the green slacks and tan shirts of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department.

The county currently oversees the city's policing needs and Russo was the sheriff department's chief of police services for the city for three and a half years. He said he experienced a rift with the county sheriff when the city looked into creating its own police department and wanted Russo to lead it. In July, Russo was put on administrative leave.

The conflict between Russo and the sheriff was particularly hard on his wife and two daughters, but Russo said he felt vindicated when they watched him sworn in Tuesday.

Russo has been working with Cottonwood Heights City Manager Liane Stillman to develop a time line to get the police department running by Sept. 1. Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore said he was confident the city would be able to inform the county by Friday that its services would no longer be needed.

"We're on track so that we can give notice," he said, "and start counting down the clock."