Utah opens its new prison. What did it take to safely transfer thousands of inmates to Utah’s new prison?
The Utah DOC took five days, assisted by a dozen other agencies, to transfer 2,464 inmates by bus, car, and van. The
Law enforcement officials from around the state help move prisoners from the Utah State Prison at Point of the Mountain in Draper to the new Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. The move was made over five days, ending Friday, July 15, 2022. Utah Department of Corrections
By Marjorie Cortez - Deseret News
Jul 15, 2022
The Utah Department of Corrections confirmed Friday that it had completed the transfer of 2,464 incarcerated individuals from facilities in Draper to the new $1 billion Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City.
The move, completed over five days this week, involved 340 runs between the facilities totaling 20,832 miles and was handled by some 1,300 staff working each day. Inmates were moved by bus, van or car, depending on safety, security and medical-related needs.
Brian Nielson, executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections, expressed gratitude to corrections staff and a dozen state and local partners that assisted with the move.
“I cannot thank our staff enough for their professionalism and dedication during this historic event,” said Nielson in a statement.
“Our team is grateful for the law enforcement agencies and other organizations who offered support in making this move happen.”
Law enforcement officials from around the state help move prisoners from the Utah State Prison at Point of the Mountain in Draper to the new Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. The move was made over five days, ending Friday, July 15, 2022. Utah Department of Corrections
Partner agencies included: the Utah Division of Technology Services, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Unified police, and the sheriff’s departments of Salt Lake, Davis, Kane, Sevier and Wasatch counties.
Nielson also thanked the incarcerated men and women “for their cooperation and patience during this event. ... We recognize that for some of these individuals the prison in Draper has been their home for many years.”
Gov. Spencer Cox extended his congratulations and thanks for the agencies’ professionalism and dedication.
“Ensuring a safe and secure move to our new state-of-the-art corrections facility was a monumental task and we congratulate everyone involved on a job well done,” Cox said in a statement.
The 1.3 million-square-foot facility in Salt Lake City is located on 170 acres north of I-80 and barely visible to drivers, unlike the Draper facility, which is adjacent to southbound I-15 at the Point of the Mountain.