This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
There were more agreements than disagreements Tuesday night in a debate pitting candidates running for the Salt Lake County Council seat to be vacated by longtime Democratic Councilman Randy Horiuchi.
But one clear distinction between Democrat Jenny Wilson and Republican Micah Bruner was that the former stressed her government experience and ties with established leaders while the latter took pride in being a first-time candidate with a "fresh approach."
Wilson, who served on the county council from 2005-2011, was very vocal about her affiliations with elected officials of both parties.
Bruner, an attorney, said by contrast he would be someone "who doesn't come with ties to previous actions or other players in this county."
Both singled out public safety as a top concern before the audience at the Salt Lake Leonardo museum.
"This is one area that I have passion and I have opinions, and I think we've gotten it all wrong," Wilson said. "We do need police; we do need a jail, but most of the people that are in our jail are there because they are mentally ill or they have substance abuse problems," Wilson said.
She said the county is wasting money incarcerating repeat offenders who could be sent to rehabilitation centers, at a lower cost, and would leave space for hardened criminals.
Bruner agreed that there is a major issue with jail populations, but said the county's mobile crisis unit is the most beneficial to officers who in the past were faced with the choice of leaving a situation or incarcerating someone. The mobile crisis unit allows a mental health expert to either talk down a suspect or arrive on scene to help the situation.
"We open up more beds for those who need to be incarcerated as opposed to those who need other help," Bruner said.
When the debate was opened to audience questions, the first up was Wilson's father, former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson, who asked the candidates' views on recent police actions in the news, which include officer-involved shootings.
Both emphasized the need for improved training.
"We have to, as elected officials, look at the value they're providing and make sure that their training exceeds that of a hairdresser," Wilson said.
She also suggested that top leaders need to exhibit strength and ethical practices for the police departments they oversee.
Bruner agreed that more training is important, specifically training about how to "engage citizens, so it becomes more of a friendly environment." He said he believes that fostering better relations between officers and the public would decrease the use of force.