Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall names Brian Redd the new chief of the Salt Lake City Police Department at a news conference on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Vanessa Hudson/Utah News Dispatch)
Brian Redd, executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections, will be Salt Lake City’s new police chief if the Salt Lake City Council confirms him. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced the decision Thursday — a little over a week after Chief Mike Brown said he intended to retire. Brown will officially leave his position on Feb. 28.
Though the decision was made one week after the announcement of Brown’s resignation, Mendenhall told reporters at a news conference that she decided on Redd with “full conviction and thorough deliberation.”
The announcement comes as Salt Lake City government faces mounting pressure from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill to improve public safety.
After a call from state Republican leaders, Mendenhall unveiled a multi-pronged plan last month to address state leaders’ concerns over public safety. As those efforts get underway, House Majority Assistant Whip Casey Snider, R-Paradise, has unveiled HB465, which could force the Salt Lake City Police Department to formally enter into an agreement with the state Department of Public Safety to tackle illegal homeless encampments and drug dealing, or else risk losing state funds.
“I briefed Mr. Redd on our immediate needs to fulfill the goals that are outlined in our city’s recent public safety plan … and he’s prepared to step into this role on day one, but beyond that, his leadership will help further develop the strength and the effectiveness of our police department, while growing engagement accountability and the trust of the people that we serve,” she said.
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Mendenhall said she’s not trying to send a “message” to Capitol Hill.
“This is not about the legislature,” she said. “This is about the Salt Lake City Police Department. It’s about our ability to keep the city safe, and that safety depends on our ability to partner well and to support our officers.”
Redd has over 25 years of public safety experience, including leading the Utah Department of Corrections since 2023. He also served for 21 years in the Utah Department of Public Safety.
One of the many challenges that Salt Lake City faces, Redd said, is the intersection of crime, homelessness, mental health and addiction. He said he is committed to working with stakeholders including local governments, businesses, crisis response teams and others to solve those issues.
“I’m committed to doing this and bringing people together to the best of my ability, and I’m committed to accountability for myself and results,” Redd said. “To the residents of the city, I’m honored to serve you and pledge my best effort, providing excellent police services so that residents and visitors alike will feel safe and supported and part of the Salt Lake community.”
When asked about how he would address people experiencing homelessness, Redd said the law must be enforced but in a humane way.
“We need to have accountability,” he said. “We need to enforce the law, but we need to do it in a humane and dignified way. We all need to recognize these are complex situations, and so this is where we need to bring together all stakeholders, policymakers, the crisis services system, criminal justice system, private sector, to work on these issues.”
Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said Redd is the “right person at the right time” to lead the Salt Lake City Police Department.
“His extraordinary efforts to improve the Utah Department of Corrections will have a lasting, positive impact, and he will be greatly missed,” Adams told Utah News Dispatch. “I’m excited to see him take on this new opportunity and improve public safety in our capital city.”
At a Thursday news conference, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said Redd being named the new police chief caught him off guard.
“That is the most bittersweet pill I’ve ever swallowed in my life,” he said. “We’re excited for Brian’s leadership inside Salt Lake City Police Department.”
Both Mendenhall and Redd expressed gratitude for Brown’s service. He served as Salt Lake City’s police chief for nearly 10 years.
“He’s laid the foundation for what comes next, and I’m very grateful for him,” Mendenhall said.
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