PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

August 8, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

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SLCPD Completes More than 74,000 Expungements

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown announced the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Records Division recently completed more than 74,000 expungements, effectively eliminating its backlog, as part of a coordinated and innovative approach that improved processes and efficiencies.

“The Salt Lake City Police Department continues to take measured and proactive steps in ensuring our criminal justice system is fair and supportive of individuals who are reentering our community. Expungement is an important process in our system, empowering individuals with a fresh start to reach their ambitions and unlock a better future full of hope and opportunity,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “I’m proud of the SLCPD’s efforts to expand the reach of this meaningful tool.”

“Having a criminal record can create obstacles that slow a person’s re-entry into society,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown. “Second chances, in the appropriate circumstances, can help reduce recidivism. The Salt Lake City Police Department is committed to helping people overcome past mistakes by improving the expungement system by working with other law enforcement agencies and state lawmakers.”

“As soon as the Council learned about the large number of expungements needing to be processed, we advocated for funding to address this urgent issue,” said District 2 Salt Lake City Council Member Alejandro “Ale” Puy.  “Expungements are crucial for individuals who have paid their debt to society, helping them move forward without being hindered from obtaining employment, housing and other essential benefits because of outdated records. I am proud of our city for taking the necessary steps to ensure these records are expunged, doing what is right for our community.”

In August 2023, the SLCPD had a backlog of approximately 66,000 expungements. These expungements came to the department automatically, in large batches, from the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI), as outlined in state law. Because of the department’s efforts to reduce the number of expungement processes, the SLCPD has processed nearly 69,000 automatically generated expungement requests.

Furthermore, since August 2023, the SLCPD has processed nearly 5,500 court-ordered expungement orders. These are the highest priority expungements to complete because they involve someone who is actively looking to expunge their criminal record.

The SLCPD continues to receive batches of automatically processed expungement orders from BCI.

To reach the milestone of processing more than 74,000 expungements, and effectively eliminating its backlog, the SLCPD used funding approved by the Salt Lake City Council, improved processes that shortened the time spent processing a request, and invested in a fresh perspective and innovative approach.

The department had hoped to reach this achievement by October 2024. However, because of the dedication and coordination of the SLCPD’s Records Division, the department reached this moment two months in advance of its projection.

According to the State of Utah, it is estimated that 1 in 4 Utahns have some type of criminal record, preventing them from accessing jobs, housing, education, loans, and other opportunities.

In Utah, when a criminal record is expunged, it will no longer show up on background checks. The expungement process is often pursued to clear a person’s record for employment, housing, or other purposes where a clean record is beneficial. Not all crimes are eligible for expungement, and specific criteria must be met, as outlined in Utah law.

The expungement process can occur several different ways. In 2019, Utah passed a new law that requires the government to automatically expunge certain types of misdemeanor criminal records.

Certain conviction types are not eligible for automatic expungement under the law. These offense types include registrable sex offenses, domestic violence related offenses, certain weapons-related offenses, simple assault and DUIs.

The SLCPD also recognizes its records technicians, the division’s supervisors, and the department’s Administrative Bureau for their efforts on this large and complex issue.

The department also recognizes the Salt Lake City Council for providing funding that aided in the completion of the expungement process.

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