Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera is running for reelection on the Nov. 3 ballot. Rivera, a Democrat, faces Republican Shane Manwaring in the general election for the countywide office that provides law enforcement services in Draper and other parts of Salt Lake County.
Rivera became the first female sheriff elected in Utah when she was sworn in on Aug. 15, 2017, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office website. She oversees about 1,100 employees and manages the largest jail and court security operation in the state, according to the Salt Lake County Democratic Party.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Salt Lake County Sheriff
- Hometown: Born in Ogden, Utah, and raised in Layton, Utah
- Background: Rivera identifies as Chicana and Mexican American and often chooses to identify as Hispanic, according to a University of Utah library exhibit. Her father was from New Mexico and her mother was from Colorado.
Experience and public service
Rivera joined the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office as a law enforcement officer in 1993, according to the county website. She rose through the ranks, serving as deputy chief at the Sheriff's Office and as precinct chief in Riverton before being elected sheriff.
Rivera serves on the Salt Lake County Opioid Task Force and the Salt Lake County Advisory Board for the Family Justice Center, according to the county website. She also sits on the Salt Lake Area Gang Project Governing Board and the Metro Narcotics Task Force Advisory Board. She is past chair of the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee for Salt Lake County and a member of the Council on Criminal Justice.
Rivera has received several awards, including the 2018 Sundance Women in Leadership Award, the 2019 YWCA Outstanding Achievement Award for Public Service and the 2020 Rosa Parks Award, according to the county website.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Rivera's responses on BallotReady (a nonpartisan voter-information platform) and her campaign website.
Public safety and jail capacity: Rivera said public safety is her top priority. She said she is working with the Salt Lake County Council and mayor to expand jail capacity and address long-term needs while maintaining zero overcrowding releases. She said she supports alternatives to incarceration, including treatment and supervised release, to reserve bed space for violent offenders.
Mental health and crisis response: Rivera said it is critical that officers receive adequate training to help people in crisis and that communities have resources available. She brought Medically Assisted Treatment to the Salt Lake County jail, supporting drug addiction treatment and mental health treatment as alternatives to incarceration, according to the county website.
Domestic violence and sexual assault: Rivera said she is committed to working with advocates who protect victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, calling prevention and enforcement important so victims feel safe.
Gang prevention: Rivera said she is working to expand the Salt Lake Area Gang Project, strengthening enforcement while growing prevention and intervention efforts to reach youth early.
Workforce retention: Rivera said public safety starts with a strong workforce and that she prioritizes supporting employees through competitive pay and retention.
Endorsements
The following endorsement was claimed by the endorsing organization, according to BallotReady:
- Women's Democratic Club of Utah
Candidate positions labeled as the candidate's own responses are drawn from BallotReady questionnaire answers and the candidate's campaign website. The Draper Herald presents this information to help voters evaluate candidates and does not endorse in elections.
