The most serious punishment handed down on Wednesday was to former Ogden police officer Dan Oberg, whose badge was revoked by the POST Council after investigators said he admitted to having sex on duty at a police substation and in the back of his patrol car. It does not create, and receiving or viewing will not constitute, attorney-client relationships. Jerred Loftus was already on suspension when he ran into a group of teens while walking on a trail in Saratoga Springs and demanded to see their green cards, accusing them of being illegal aliens and threatening to kill them. POST was forced to implement the rules because of previous cases where they sought to discipline officers for sexual misconduct only to be challenged on not explicitly spelling it out in the rules. Dunns lawyer, Ashley Gregson, told council members that even if they thought her client used excessive force, that does not equal aggravated assault. "That's the million dollar question," he said. Resolution to remove income tax earmark for education advances, Bill mandating counties to provide homeless shelters, enforce camping laws passes Utah House, Last of 5 teenagers sentenced in murder of 16-year-old Gavin Hone, Protesters disrupt Senate hearing on ERA. In some of the cases, the Council decided to revoke officers certifications to be a police officer. He was not present to speak to the POST Council. ST. GEORGE -- The agency that certifies and disciplines all police officers in Utah handed out warnings, suspensions and revocations to 16 officers for various misdeeds. Some of the police misconduct involved property. He directed the Traffic Department augment to augment their personnel on the portions of the highway damaged by the adverse weather recently. Twenty-two police officers were disciplined last year in connection with 14 incidents including covering up a cellblock beating, and failing to report a barricade incident before fatally. They then . sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Roberto Benvenutto, a former employee with the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office who was criminally convicted of stealing an iPad from a resident at a nursing home where he worked a part-time job. Tyrel Curtis, a former Juab County Sheriff's deputy, received a 3-year suspension for falsifying information on an application to POST. POST is a division of the Department of Public Safety whose role is to impose sanctions on officers who violate Utah's Peace Officers Standards and Training Act. But I see there are things I could have done better and done differently, he said in a recording of the hearing. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The woman was holding a screwdriver and Dunn believed she was a threat. The council meets quarterly to, in part, review allegations of misconduct by officers and hand down discipline. Law enforcement officers in Utah and elsewhere are trained that, if they are going to shoot their guns, to aim for the center of the body. I thought I was going to be shot.. Cottonwood Heights police officers were not internally disciplined for their use of force in a violent altercation in August of last year with protesters inside a residential neighborhood.. POST is a division of the Department of Public Safety whose role is to impose sanctions on officers who violate Utahs Peace Officers Standards and Training Act. SANDY Nine police officers in Utah faced discipline for allegations of misconduct Wednesday. Former Box Elder Sheriff's deputy Richard Bills told the council: "I screwed up" in a domestic violence incident with his wife. This has been a very humbling experience I saw as an imminent threat. His certification was revoked due to allegations of assault dating back to 2014. A new hunter in another party fired errant shots that went in the direction of Bess and his party. Director Scott Stephenson told the Peace Officer Standard and Training (POST) council members Thursday that they are pushing to get recruits trained, working extra hours and using online courses so new officers can hit the streets. They pleaded for their jobs. Joseph Haws, who worked for the Utah County Sheriffs Office, was suspended for nine months after he said he had booked items into evidence when he didnt. Jerrod Loftus, an unemployed officer, had his certification revoked after POST said he threatened some hikers on a trail earlier this year. But are Utah police officers always professional in their evidence gathering efforts? "To minimize the damage to her and life, the preservation of life, was my priority. Information in the story may be outdated Evidence must be gathered in accordance with your rights, or be excluded from the case against you. Andrew Hatcher, an unemployed officer, was given a 2-year suspension for DUI. David Bingham, a former Utah Department of Corrections employee, who took a dog to a local pound in Sanpete County, but then never gave the dog food or water and it died. Brandon Ratcliffe of the Price City Police Department in Utah, found that the officers who responded to an Aug. 12 incident between Petito and her fianc,. POST Executive Director Scott Stephenson told FOX 13 he would ask lawmakers to allow them to seek sanctions against police chiefs and sheriffs who don't report officer misconduct to them in a timely manner. After a two-day hearing before an administrative law judge as part of the divisions inquiry into the situation, a judge determined the shooting was not within state policy and Dunn had committed aggravated assault. Steven Kline, a former deputy with the Beaver County Sheriffs Office, whose certification was revoked after POST members alleged that Kline pawned ammunition that was property of the Beaver County Sheriffs Office. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (Based on average gas prices in Utah, reported to be $2.10 in April 2016, that adds up to about $195.). Johnson resigned as mayor a short time later. All law enforcers in Utah are required to be certified by the Division of Peace Officer Standards and Training. Amber Kay Steele, a former St. George police officer, had her badge revoked after POST alleged she was involved in a domestic violence-related assault. However, the attorneys office declined to file criminal charges. He claims the school. Department of Corrections Officer Jordan Bradfords certification was suspended for six months after he provided an inmate with a toothbrush and watched as the inmate sharpened it to make a shank. Criminal charges. But the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council is also looking at going after police chiefs who fail to report an officer's bad behavior in a timely manner. He was investigated for the same offense a few years earlier. Joshua Hardman, an unemployed police officer, was given a 1-year suspension for impersonating a police officer in an incident involving equipment that had been towed. I cant honestly say I mixed up the details, he said. The next day, the officer conducted "excessive traffic enforcement" in front of the school, pulling over more vehicles than normal, the investigation found. Officers have. is the Only Clout that Matters in a Courtroom. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. It would be a true shame if you found today that his good faith efforts to contain the situation and act in a lawful manner was criminal. The other group told police they felt threatened by Bess who was ultimately convicted in 1st District Court of threatening to use a dangerous weapon during a fight, a class A misdemeanor. He chose that target, Gregson said, and he does not deny that he chose that target to avoid causing her serious injury that would have resulted if he shot her center mass or another part of her body.. 2:38. Kyle Maddox, with the Washington County Sheriffs Office, had his license suspended for three years after lying about eating marijuana edibles and smoking a joint during a New Years party. Police officers across the region have been caught engaging in a variety of misdeeds in recent years ranging from being late for duty to improper use of force to breaking into cars. The intent of these guidelines is to facilitate fairness and consistency. Thomas installed a digital recorder in a family members bedroom and secretly recorded 23 videos of that person dressing and undressing. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Two more Memphis police officers have been disciplined and three emergency responders fired in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, officials said Monday, widening the circle of punishment for the shocking display of police brutality after video showed many more people failed to help him beyond the five officers Reading time: 5 minutes. Some lied about their past drug use while others did not disclose crimes they had committed. Maj. Scott Stephenson, the director of POST, also presented a proposal to the council for officers to be certified in community outreach. The Honolulu Police Department suspended or fired 59 officers in 61 cases that span as far back as 2016 . In a headline-grabbing string of misconduct, another of the disciplined officers had sex on duty and in his squad car while having an extramarital affair. A former Utah Highway Patrol trooper had his certification suspended for a year for mishandling of evidence. 2021 All Rights Reserved. While Bess admits he never thought the charges against him would stick, he pleaded with the council to give him the chance to prove he can do better. Still, the agency's executive director wants to ensure police agencies report misconduct quickly -- and he's asking the Utah State Legislature to make it law. Posted 12:00:00 AM. SANDY A heated argument between the former police chief of Mantua and the town's former mayor has led the agency that hands out discipline to Utah law enforcers to take minor action. More than two dozen Utah police officers were disciplined on Wednesday, September 21 at a quarterly meeting of the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST). Maj. Scott Stephenson, the director of POST, also presented a proposal to the council for officers to be certified in community outreach. He also kept a wallet at his house that he took from a woman, and then tried to burn it when he was afraid he would get in trouble again for mishandling of evidence, according to POST. On Wednesday, the POST council invoked its authority to take disciplinary measures against 28 officers just a small portion of the officers waiting to be disciplined in a backlog that stretches back to 2013. On Sept. 30, members of Peace Officer Standards and Training voted to suspend former Mantua Police Chief Michael F. Castro's law enforcement certification for three months. The council gave its approval for Stephenson to continue looking into the idea and coming up with a certification training course. He transferred to civilian positions with UPD and then the new Herriman Police Department while his legal case proceeded. Christopher Smith, a former Utah Department of Natural Resources officer and part-time Hurricane police officer, received a three year suspension after POST said he engaged in numerous instances of sexual conduct on duty with a fellow employee. State officials request to refrain from gathering in large groups didnt stop police regulators from doling out discipline on Thursday. You would think common sense would rule the day, but unfortunately, thats not the case, Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter, who chairs the POST Council, told FOX 13 on Tuesday. That motion passed on a split vote. For the past three years, Utah police averaged about 100,000 arrests a year and during that time shot at . Department Policies. Criminal investigations were initiated in nearly 40% of the cases. One of the most important functions of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council is to consider disciplinary cases against Utah police officers. He told investigators that he had been injecting himself with the steroids to prepare for a body-building competition. The officer then lied about his actions in a police report, according to POST. And for those who are just beginning the certification process, Stephenson said they have shifted all of the coursework online but social distancing means only so many can take the physical tests at the same time. "It's something that I regret and will learn from very much.". Utah Department of Corrections: David Bingham, certification revoked for cruelty to animals, forgery and falsifying government record; Brittney Ryan, certification revoked for drug possession and open container; Bradley Johnson, certification revoked for reckless endangerment; Bryan Lentz, certification revoked for false information on employment application; Javen Lowell, 3-year suspension for sexual conduct and lewdness on duty; Kirk B. Smith, three-year suspension for domestic violence, domestic violence in the presence of four children and disorderly conduct. If you or a family member has been charged with a misdemeanor or felony in Utah, it is in your best interests to contact a highly experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. A Dedicated Professional with an Excellent Legal Background, Licensed to Practice in Salt Lake County, Utah County, Tooele County, Davis County and elsewhere in Northern Utah. Drug use while others did not disclose crimes utah police officers disciplined had committed a Courtroom receiving or viewing will not,! A trail earlier this year that time shot at and during that time shot at for to. In Utah faced discipline for allegations of misconduct Wednesday Scripps Media, Inc. All rights.! That span as far back as 2016 certification revoked after POST said he some. Viewing will not constitute, attorney-client relationships but I see there are I! 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