"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard," A. A. Milne said. 

At the end of a career spanning nearly 35 years, Herriman City has said its final tearful goodbyes to former Police Chief Troy Carr, who officially stepped down on March 1 after eight years with Herriman. Deputy Chief Cody Stromberg will temporarily assume Carr’s duties while the city searches for its next chief.

While Carr was serving as the Herriman Precinct Chief for the UPD in 2018, the city notified the UPD of its intent to withdraw and form its own police department. Carr was sworn in as the city’s first police chief on June 6, 2018. He and other city personnel found themselves with only four months to create a functional police department, essentially from scratch.

From securing enough vehicles for the newly-hired officers to creating a logo and uploading website documents, the logistics of creating a brand-new police force were overwhelming. “We pulled some 16-hour days,” Carr said. “I remember how many nights we spent working late just trying to get graphics done for patches and cars and badges… The amount of details is astounding.”

Trial by fire

Literally hours after Herriman’s untested police department launched, the city was faced with an opportunity to prove itself. 

“[There was] an awful tragedy where three young men lost their lives in a car… It was terrible,” Carr said. “But… we handled it without skipping a beat. And that's a very proud moment for me to know that within hours of taking over, we had the ability to handle such a tragedy.”

Though the Herriman officers as a group were untried, each individual hired by HPD brought substantial law enforcement experience to the team. “They have gained such ability since then in our technology and our training, and the things that the officers are capable of now are just astounding. And I am so proud of each one of them,” Carr said.

The former chief also praised Herriman's civilian staff, such as crossing guards and forensics and animal shelter personnel, who provide critical support for the officers. 

What makes HPD stand out

In an era where many police forces struggle with multiple vacancies, Carr expressed pride in Herriman’s lack thereof and its low turnover. 

“That's not an issue we have here. Our issue is… the mile-long list of applicants when there is a vacancy…,” Carr said. “I have to tell really great candidates that would be starters on other teams that they’ve got to sit on the bench for a minute…”

Carr is also proud of the cultivated partnership between police and the community and of the officers’ personal investment in the city. “[This is what]... makes us so different,” he said. “We have a lot of officers that both live in the city or close to the city… that have the buy-in, [a sense] of ‘this is my community and these are the people that I live with and shop with…’”

An adamant believer in second chances, Carr is wary of police officers wielding power within a community they don’t care about, which can lead to problems, including the mistreatment and neglect of criminals. “Every human being is our family. And sometimes they make a mistake. Our job is not to judge them,” he said. “Our job is to get them in a position where they can recover…” 

The bitter and the sweet

Carr describes the continuous challenge of balancing budgetary concerns and departmental needs. “We carefully consider our budget, and… one of [my] very first… job responsibilities is to be responsible with taxpayers’ money,” he said. “My main role is to make sure that we have the training, the equipment and the personnel to make sure we're safe out there…  I owe it to [the officers] to… get them home to their families.”

One of the most difficult experiences for the whole department was the loss of Herriman’s first K9 officer, Hondo, who was shot and killed apprehending a wanted fugitive on February 13, 2020, in Salt Lake City. 

“That hit us hard. It was heavy,” Carr said. “We were relatively new as a police department, and I think my biggest chore there was to hold everybody together as we got through that.” 

The incident took place as Herriman officers participated in a U.S. Marshals task force to capture the fugitive. Hondo, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, had worked with the UPD since 2015 and joined the Herriman force in 2018. Herriman officers held funeral services for Hondo on February 29. 

In contrast, Carr also recalls happier memories of his time as chief. “Some of my favorite times are the times I got to spend with the employees,” he said. “We have a tradition… Every time we hire somebody, no matter what role they're in… we go to lunch with them, and we learn about them. And it's important to me to not only know the employee but to know their family and understand [them].”

The final farewell

At an emotional city council meeting on Feb. 25, Herriman officially bid its chief adieu. “Tonight, we have to say goodbye to one of the best men that I've ever met,” Mayor Lorin Palmer said tearfully.

 “Just to be clear, I'm not dying,” Carr quipped in response. “I’ve just retired.”

Each city council member took a moment to express heartfelt gratitude for Carr’s leadership, mentoring and service.

“I really appreciate the time you've taken to help me understand as a new council member more about… policing… and the vision for the police force…,” Councilwoman Terrah Anderson said. “And all the time you take to explain things in a way that a regular person can understand… I appreciate your true love for our city and the way that you served us.”

“What you did was absolutely amazing in the time frame in which it had to be done…,” Herriman’s newest councilman, Matt Basham, said. “It's been the sky's the limit for the last eight years, and… you've laid [the foundation] for this department for… generations to come…”

“Your true leadership shows in so many different ways… It's truly unseen to the public a lot of the time…,” Councilman Teddy Hodges said. “[What] you've done, and the way you've shown up, it's a true commitment to your city, your calling and that badge…”

“[It was a ] herculean effort… to set a complete department up… from scratch in… [four] months…,” Councilman Jared Henderson said with emotion. “But that's just the tip of the iceberg for what you guys have done…you’ve continued to innovate and do things differently… I think every other agency in the state is constantly looking at what you guys are doing… If any of you knew what he's done for my family…  all the… well-wishers… they don't know the half of it…”

Palmer also acknowledged the role Carr’s wife has played over the years. “Amy, thank you for your sacrifice, too… thank you for giving him to us every day, for letting him walk out that door…,” Palmer said.

At the conclusion of comments from city personnel, the District Director for U.S. Congressman Burgess Owens, Casey Saxton, presented Carr with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition on behalf of Owens to recognize Carr’s years of service and his statewide impact.

“I worked next door in Riverton,” Saxton said. “And I know… Riverton City really leaned on Chief Carr heavily for his advice and expertise and ultimately, partnership. So thank you for your service.”

“We talk a lot about what I did, but really… the men and women of the police department did most of the work and still do. So, my hat’s off to them,” Carr said.

“You've left the department in good hands. We've got the best… team around…,” Palmer said.

What’s next   

Though retirement will bring a much slower pace, Carr has no intention of being idle. He looks forward to an active life and to new experiences with his wife like exploring Utah, other states and the world. 

“It will certainly be a reset. I…feel like it's going to be rolling out of a car while you're driving down I-15 and standing up and going, ‘Well, now I'm just walking right?’" he said. “But I've got a lot of things to look forward to, a lot of things to do…. [I joke] that I'm going to work for my wife. She's got a whole list of stuff she needs me to do.”

Once a cop, always a cop

“You take home the worry of [your officers’] worries because they… confide in you. You take home the worry of their safety… their needs… the city… your colleagues… our community… and it's heavy… I'll look forward to unloading some of that,” he said. “But I'll always worry about my people. That'll be something that probably never goes away… It's been a great city to work in, a great community, and I love you all.”

Former Chief Troy Carr applauds for Herriman’s first police officers at their swearing-in ceremony in September of 2018. (Photo courtesy Herriman City)