Albert Passic, age 85, the 31st President of the Utah Peace Officers Association, (1959-1960) passed away at a VA Hospital in Salem, Virginia, January 11, 2007.

He was born April 10, 1921 in Scofield, Utah. He graduated from Carbon High School in1939, where he participated and lettered in many sports. He played on the 1938 State Championship football team and was elected All-State second team. In 1941, he was drafted into the US Army where he served four years in the Pacific, Asiatic and European conflicts. Upon discharge, he entered Carbon College and played on the first Carbon College football team. After graduation he went to work for the Carbon County Sheriffʼs Department where he was employed for 33 years, 25 of those years he served as Sheriff.

He married Lois Hazel Gilligan in1946. She would serve as the UPOA Auxiliary President (1958-1959). Lois passed away March 9, 2000. mines turned to violence prompting

Sheriff Albert Passic received na-Sheriff Passic to request assistance tional attention during a United Mine from the Utah Highway Patrol. For the Workersʼ Union strike, December following 38 days, law enforcement in 1977. Over 500 picketers at several Utah concentrated on Carbon County.

Fortunately, this incident was brought to a peaceful resolution.

As well as serving as President of the UPOA, Sheriff Passic also served as President of Utah Sheriffʼs Association, Chairman of the Utah Peace Officers Standards and Training Academy, and as a P.O.S.T. instructor for both Utah and Wyoming. He was awarded Outstanding Community Service Award in 1971 by the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce, and in 1987 received Man of the Year Award from the Soroptimist of Price.

Sheriff Passicʼs body was returned to Utah for internment in the Price City Cemetery

Carbon County Coal Strike

Carbon County Sheriff Albert Passic requested assistance from the Utah Highway Patrol, December 6, 1977, when a United Mine Workersʼ Union strike in Carbon County became increasingly dangerous. The following day, picketers at one mine damaged two patrol cars and a bridge leading to another mine was burned.

Governor Matheson appealed to “all citizens of Carbon County to maintain cool heads and reasoned thoughts.” He added that the state was not taking sides in the strike, just trying to avert violence.

State Narcotics and Liquor Law agents, working undercover at one mine, reported 500-600 pickets armed with guns, wrist rockets, marbles, and dynamite.

During the first two weeks of the strike, Utah Highway Patrol troopers equipped in full riot gear, escorted non-union workers across picket lines. Troopers were also stationed at the Carbon County Courthouse where union workers conducted negotiations. On December 13th, at 4:00 p.m., an anonymous bomb threat to the Carbon County Courthouse, forced the adjournment of a Sevemth District Court hearing on the right of striking United Mine Workers members to picket nonunion coal mines. Judge pro tem Don V. Tibbs, Manti, ordered the building evacuated and searched. Troopers and sheriffʼs deputies stationed at the courthouse could find no bomb.

The strike continued until January 13, 1978. Local law enforcement officials and miners, both union and non-union, praised the actions of the Carbon County Sheriffʼs Office and the Utah Highway Patrol during this volatile incident.

The Utah Peace Officer • Winter 2006