WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A pair of Cache County residents -- people who have never even met Susan Cox Powell -- are organizing a search to be conducted around Simpson Springs in Tooele County. The search date is Saturday, April 10th.
Hundreds could potentially answer the call to search the area where Josh Powell said he took his boys camping the night his wife, Susan, disappeared.
But the West Valley Police Department is concerned about the safety of the people who might be involved in that search. "We don't oppose it, but we're also not promoting it," said Captain Tom McLachlan, spokesman for the Department.
"We're not going to accept that liability," said Captain McLachlan. "This is a very remote, very wild place where if a person gets hurt, help is a long ways away."
What's more, the Captain points out police investigators have already spent thousands of hours searching from the air, on the ground and even below the ground. The results: "We found nothing ... that would substantiate Josh's story that he was there," Captain McLachlan said.
While it appears that West Valley Police will have no official role in the volunteer search, Tooele County Sheriff Frank Park said his department will. However, Sheriff Park said Tuesday that since he has not seen a detailed plan from organizers, he could not say what that role would be.
As for Susan's family, spokesperson Shelby Gifford wrote, "We are thankful people want to help us find Susan. We hope any searchers will follow safe search practices and will observe any guidelines set by police."
To find out more about the search and requirements for volunteers,
click here. (You must be a member of Facebook to access this link.)
