Tonight, this suburb of 59,000 is expected to officially create its own police force and appoint a chief. A public hearing is scheduled about 7 p.m. before the City Council, which will vote on whether Taylorsville becomes the largest city to dump its contract with the county sheriff.

"We're doing this reluctantly," says Councilman Russ Wall. "We tried to make it work with the county, and it never seemed to work."

If approved - the council voted 4-1 in August to sever its law-enforcement contract with Salt Lake County - the new cops should hit Taylorsville streets April 1. The city plans to boost the police presence from 38 or so county deputies to 50 city officers.

A last-ditch effort to keep the city on board with the county was made during Tuesday's County Council meeting, to no avail.

"You can't be fiscally responsible and sign an open-ended contract," says Wall, who noted the City Council has authorized the application for federal and state grants to help cover an estimated $1.1 million startup tab.

Also tonight, the City Council will vote on whether to appoint Larry Marx, a longtime Taylorsville resident, as police chief. Marx is commander for the statewide Project Safe Neighborhoods with the Department of Public Safety. From 1978 until 2000 he worked for the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, eventually making captain.

"He comes recommended [by] a lot of people," says Les Matsumura, council chairman.

However, Councilman Bud Catlin intends to reject the choice because Marx served on the city's police-steering committee, which he considers a conflict of interest. "I think we need to be careful of the process," Catlin says.

A December 2002 survey showed 78 percent of Taylorsville residents opposed leaving the county, saying its sheriff services were "excellent" or "good."

Council members, along with Mayor Janice Auger, acknowledge reaction has been mixed, but insist most of the sheriff's deputies will be retained as city officers.

"The basic core of people will not change that much," Matsumura added.

A feasibility study showed the southwest suburb could save $500,000 a year with its own police force, which officials expect to run on a $4.6 million annual budget.

Losing Taylorsville will leave the county sheriff serving Bluffdale, Herriman, Holladay, Riverton and the unincorporated county.

djensen@sltrib.com