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.

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 approximately 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

  • Office sought: Salt Lake County Sheriff
  • Party: Democratic
  • Birthplace: Ogden, Utah; raised in Layton, Utah
  • Heritage: Rivera identifies as Chicana and Mexican American and has said she often identifies 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. She rose through the ranks. She served as deputy chief at the Sheriff's Office and as precinct chief in Riverton before becoming sheriff in 2017.

She serves on the Salt Lake County Opioid Task Force, the Salt Lake County Advisory Board for the Family Justice Center, 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.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Rivera's responses on BallotReady 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 law enforcement officers need adequate training to help people in crisis and that communities need available resources to support those individuals. As sheriff, she brought medication-assisted treatment to the Salt Lake County jail, supporting drug addiction 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. She said prevention and enforcement are both important to ensure 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

BallotReady lists the following endorsement, claimed by the endorsing organization:

  • Women's Democratic Club of Utah

Candidate positions labeled as such reflect Rivera's own statements through BallotReady questionnaire responses and her campaign website. The Millcreek Times presents this profile for voter information and does not endorse candidates.