Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has taken on the cause of "Dog the Bounty Hunter."

Shurtleff says he is trying to use connections he has forged over the years with top levels of the Mexican government and its various attorneys general to get extradition proceedings dropped against Duane Chapman, the bail bondsman in Hawaii who has become famous through the reality show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" on A&E.

Chapman went to Mexico several years ago to catch serial rapist Andrew Luster, heir to the Max Factor fortune, who had jumped bail and fled the United States. Chapman nabbed Luster in Puerto Vallarta and turned him over to the FBI. Luster, accused in over 80 rapes, is now serving 120 years in federal prison.

But because bounty hunting is illegal in Mexico, Chapman was arrested there. He posted bond and was released, but now is wanted by Mexican authorities for jumping bail.

Shurtleff says he is motivated by several issues - helping the guy who caught a serial rapist is foremost among them. But he also believes in the role bounty hunters play in the justice system, and he fears this high-profile controversy will hurt U.S.-Mexico relations.

He believes he can have a calming effect with Mexican authorities because of his past attempts to work with that government to solve immigration issues. Currently, two of Chapman's biggest supporters have been conservative talk-show host Glen Beck, who constantly rants on illegal immigration, and Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo, who is running for president on the anti-immigration issue.

Those are the last kind of supporters "The Dog" needs to ease his problems with Mexico, says Shurtleff.

Besides, the attorney general likes the show.

The metamorphosis: Salt Lake County Council's resident hippie could soon look like G.I. Joe.

Democrat Joe Hatch, known for his long, unkempt hair, ill-fitting suits and crooked ties, told fellow council members that if he can raise, through pledges, donations of at least $2,000 during an upcoming cancer drive, he will get a buzz cut.

It's for an annual fundraising drive sponsored by the Salt Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, which formed a partnership with the Cancer Wellness House, of which Hatch is a board member.

The deadline for donations is May 19. When Hatch made the announcement during a council meeting recently, fellow Democratic council member Randy Horiuchi immediately pledged $250.

Setting an example: Richard Welch was traveling northbound on 1300 East near Vine Street at 8 a.m. last Monday when he slowed to 20 mph to observe the flashing lights in a school zone.

Suddenly, he was passed by a blue truck going twice as fast through the school zone.

The lettering on the truck, which bore the number 633, read "Granite School District Police Safety Systems."

The license plate was 19683EX.

prolly@sltrib.com