SALT LAKE CITY — Utah leaders say they're sending a message to criminal enterprises through a suite of bills that will soon go into law, particularly as a new trouble spot has appeared in recent months.

Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, state lawmakers, law enforcement, victim's families and other dignitaries gathered outside the Rio Grande Depot Thursday, where a few of the bills targeting criminal offenses, substance treatment and homeless services were ceremonially signed.

"Utahns can rest better knowing that they're safer because of this session," Cox said, explaining that many of the bills target fentanyl and the criminals trafficking it, as well as will help people experiencing homelessness and other "important" issues.

Thursday's event was intentionally held near the center of where Operation Rio Grande began nearly eight years ago, symbolizing a place deeply impacted by criminal activity, the governor explained. The state-led operation targeted criminal activity and drug enterprises that converged around the old Road Home shelter.

It also aimed to provide services and resources for people battling addiction. While the operation led to successes, its legacy has been brought into question with the arising of a new trouble spot.

Salt Lake City closed a segment of the embattled Jordan River Parkway trail by Fairpark and Rose Park neighborhoods on Monday, as drug-related criminal activity, fueled by cartels, has seeped into the homeless camps set up there. Some city leaders and residents said the situation worsened after Operation Rio Grande, which they say pushed the issues to the North Temple corridor and the Jordan River.

State leaders believe there are two or three Central American cartels operating in the area. Salt Lake City Councilwoman Victoria Petro explained that criminal operations have exploited the homeless situation along the Jordan River, bringing criminal activity that has made the area unsafe — leading to this week's closure.

"It's gotten to kind of a crisis point, where interventions that we haven't tried before need to be tried to protect sheltered and unsheltered alike," she said on Monday.

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Monday's abrupt closure of a Jordan River trail section ruffled some feathers, while city leaders say they're frustrated with the components that led to it happen.

The growing issues along North Temple and the Jordan River partly influenced some of this year's legislation, Cox told KSL.com. Utah increased penalties for fentanyl and "fentanyl-related" substances through HB87, and he said the state is working "very closely" with Salt Lake police to tackle the problem.

"We're helping them, giving them space down by the Jordan River so they can run their operations and clean that area up," he said. "They're going to be aggressive. ... It's not just clean up one place and go somewhere else; they're going to be making sure that wherever the crime goes, they'll be following."

HB38 and HB127, which were also highlighted Thursday, tackle other types of criminal offenses. Other bills, like HB312, handle issues tied to jail capacity and repeat offenders, which have factored into some of the issues.

Utah also passed bills like HB199, HB329 and SB78, all of which seek to improve homelessness and substance abuse services in the state. Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo, who served as the bill or floor sponsor for all three, believes Operation Rio Grande ultimately provided a blueprint for how the state can handle the complex relationship between criminal activity, substance abuse and homelessness — a relationship frequently referenced in Salt Lake City's new public safety plan.

The largest problem with it, he says, is the state may have lost focus as other issues, like COVID-19, became more prominent. Less attention was placed on drug and mental health resources, which may have led to issues along the Jordan River.

"That's where I think we can learn from," he told KSL.com. "What worked? These intense wraparound services (and) the connections to treatment at every single step of the way. What didn't work was when we took our hands off the wheel. So that's what we have to do, and I hope that's where it leads us."

It's too early to tell how this year's changes will affect current concerns, but Clancy hopes the new legislation will put the state back on track when it comes to providing adequate care for people experiencing homelessness and people struggling with addiction.

As for the criminal activity by the Jordan River, both he and Cox say the state isn't fooling around.

"We're going to start holding people accountable, even more than in the past," the governor added. "We want to make sure that the streets and parks and trails are safe for people to bring their families."

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