Law Enforcement

The following is important Mantua law enforcement history. Most Mantua newcomers are not aware of this history. So here you go. Many years ago, long before most of you arrived here there was a three year period where Mantua had 13-15 fatalities on the highway over a three year period. Mostly do to speed. These death occurred on the highway from just parallel to the gun range, (by the old lime kiln) to about half way to Brigham City. The highway next to our town was also known as the “Mantua Death Strip” at that time! There was also some limited “gun play” going on between certain people in Mantua. At that time we had a town Marshall (I was the last one) and we depended on the Sherriffs Department for support. The sheriffs department support was usually many, many miles away and could not be counted on for a timely response. They would call us for back up for trouble at Dock Flat and we would get there 45 minutes before they would.

IT WAS TIME FOR A NEEDED IMPROVEMENT.

We needed professional law enforcement boots on the ground in our community. I was elected to the town board and part of my responsibility was law enforcement and the court. during my tenure I had the honor of hiring Jim Jones as our first professional police officer and Kevin Nelson as our judge.

The results were immediate: almost zero fatalities along Mantua’s part of the highway and no more people threatening to solve disputes with each other with guns.

Scott Larkin