This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Salt Lake City's new interim police chief is a second-generation cop who has received praise for his work downtown.
Mike Brown will remain in charge until a permanent chief is hired after the city's Nov. 3 mayoral election. He was among about a half dozen officers with the title of deputy chief, but Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said Thursday that Brown would be best for the interim chief job.
Brown is the son of a retired Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy and the brother of a retired Unified Police Department detective. But he is known in Salt Lake City for his association with Chris Burbank, who resigned as chief Thursday under pressure from Becker.
Brown and Burbank graduated from the city's police academy together in 1991. In recent years, Brown was one of Burbank's top administrators and executed Burbank's style of policing. The two men have even grown to look like each other — both tall and bald and most-often wearing thin mustaches.
In 2011, Brown oversaw community policing in downtown and stood beside Burbank as he tried to negotiate with protesters during the trial of environmentalist Tim DeChristopher.
In fall 2011, supporters of the Occupy movement pitched camp in Pioneer Park for a month. Brown was the police officer working with the demonstrators and the surrounding businesses.
"Candidly, we were kind of freaking out," said Jason Mathis, executive director of the business-backed Downtown Alliance.
Mathis said downtown supporters were concerned that demonstrators would overwhelm the park and discourage people from the farmers market there. Brown didn't seem worried.
"He wasn't panicked," Mathis said. "He was thoughtful."
Brown helped businesses and the community organizations address more common concerns, too, such as drug dealing and panhandling. Mathis said Brown gave about 100 people his cellphone number and took calls from Mathis at 1 a.m.
"I don't mean to sound too trite," Mathis said, "but he's someone I would trust my life to without a moment's hesitation."
The Downtown Alliance gave Brown an achievement award in 2014.
Brown moved to a different post about a year ago, overseeing eight units, including narcotics, SWAT, organized crime and the motorcycle squad. Brown is married with three sons.
Brown did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Tribune reporter Christopher Smart contributed to this report.
Twitter: @natecarlisle