Slain Santaquin officer enjoyed ‘making a difference’ with police work

SALT LAKE CITY — The body of Sgt. Bill Hooser is back home in Santaquin, just one day after he was killed in the line of duty.

On Monday, colleagues and strangers lined overpasses on I-15 and Main Street in Santaquin on Monday to pay their respects.

Sgt. Bill Hooser: Making a difference

It’s not hard to see the impact Sgt. Hooser had on the community of Santaquin. As a corporal he led a high school internship program, mentoring young people and building relationships with the department. Police Chief Rod Hurst described him as a great example.

“Sgt. Hooser was one of those guys that was really squared away. He was by the book, right and wrong, even had the flat top haircut to go along with it,” Hurst said.

When his colleagues named Hooser the Santaquin employee of the month two years ago, the city asked Hooser what he liked most about police work.

“Making a difference,” he said.

Bill Hooser was one of three sergeants on the Santaquin police force. He earned that rank in 2024 after joining the department in 2017. In his private life, Sgt. Hooser loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping and playing golf.

In a news conference Monday, Santaquin police chief Rod Hurst told reporters that Hooser lived, and died, by the principles of Isaiah 6:8, which he then quoted.

“‘Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here I am. Send me.’ In a nutshell, that describes Sgt. Bill Hooser,” Hurst said.

Hooser leaves behind his wife of 29 years, two daughters and their husbands, and a baby granddaughter. He was 50 years old.

Our previous reporting: Santaquin Police Department identifies officer hit and killed by semi-truck driver

 

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