Kane County’s law enforcement was given significant acclaim at a recent conference of the Utah Sheriffs’ Association - two separate awards for two veteran law enforcement officers.
Sheriff Tracy Glover was granted Lawman of the Year; president of the Utah Sheriff’s association Chad Jensen states “Sheriff Glover is the calm in the storm. He thinks through issues and makes rational decisions. His history of the association, discussions and decisions that have happened is priceless to our association. Sheriff Glover has been a mentor to me and many other Sheriffs.” Sheriff Glover was also elected and sworn in during the event to serve as the vice president of the Sheriffs Association for the upcoming year.
At the same meeting, former commissioner Mark Habbeshaw was awarded Honorary Sheriff, with the press team from the Sheriffs’ office stating “As a rural commissioner, Mark took on the Federal Government and its surrogates for the greater good. He fought all odds to protect public access under RS-2477. His efforts were both embraced and scoffed at, but over time all parties knew that his detailed work must be respected.” Sheriff Glover himself said of Habbeshaw’s work as commissioner “He’s done so much. I don’t think we as the public will even realize the amount of good Mark Habbeshaw has done for years to come, he’s just done more good than we can even know.”
Glover said in an interview after the conference “It’s humbling to get an award like this from my colleagues. I’ve always considered it an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Kane County.” The sheriff served as second-vice president of the Utah Sheriffs’ Association and represented it at the Western Sheriffs’ Association which he serves as chairman of public lands. He considers one of the highlights of his work so far to be the inmate housing contract with Utah state, which brings in over four million dollars a year to the county. The money from that contract, according to the sheriff, is, “able to employ over thirty local county employees, and most of them are local kids who left home for college or whatever reason and are now able to come back home to Kane County.”
Glover also serves on Utah’s Joint Jails Committee, the Utah Communications Authority as public safety advisory vice chair. His administrative staff stated in their press release “if everyone could just peek behind the curtain with us, they would know just how great and honorable a man their Sheriff really is.”
As for the newly awarded honorary sheriff, Habbeshaw’s legacy is still honored and respected among the law enforcement community and among county leadership; the sheriffs’ office press release stated “after many years of litigation, the model pursued by Commissioner Habbeshaw is still being used to preserve public access rights on more than 12,000 roads across the state of Utah. Every Utah Sheriff relies on public lands each day to protect and serve residents and visitors. Commissioner Habbeshaw’s legacy will linger on forever.” Sheriff Glover added “It was our pleasure to honor Mark Habbeshaw for all the work he’s done to preserve Rights of Way.”
In their statement to the press, the sheriff’s office stated, “It is an honor for the Kane County Sheriff’s Office to be a part of the Utah Sheriff’s Association and to coordinate and associate with some of the most honorable men and women of Utah.” The release added that this conference “turned out to be particularly special for the residents of Kane County.”
