SALT LAKE CITY — Four Salt Lake City police officers will not criminal charges over the treatment of a dead body but were found to have violated department policies.
On Friday, the Salt Lake City Police Department released the body camera of its police officers accused of engaging in misconduct with a body found on Aug. 8.
According to SLCPD, the officers responded to the area of Brooklyn Street and Washington Avenue after a report of a man found dead in a tent.
“SLCPD officers responded, confirmed the man was dead, and began a death investigation. Based on the observations of officers and the medical examiner’s office investigator on scene, the SLCPD classified the death as an unattended, non-suspicious death,” according to the SLCPD press release.
The Office of the Medical Examiner later identified the man as 47-year-old Jason Lloyd. After an autopsy, the office confirmed Llyod’s death was accidental.
On Aug. 18, the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office and Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed an investigation into the seven officers’ alleged misconduct with Lloyd’s body. During that time, the mayor’s office, DPS, or SLCPD would not confirm whether any of the officers were placed on administrative leave.
According to Friday’s press release, SLCPD did place seven employees on paid administrative leave and initiated an internal affairs investigation after learning about the allegations.
“As the SLCPD reviewed the actions of its personnel and others present, it determined an external law enforcement agency was needed to investigate any potential criminal conduct. The Utah Attorney General’s Office conducted the outside criminal investigation,” the press release stated.
Salt Lake City police chief Mike Brown also notified Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill about the allegations and the investigation.
SLCPD said that on Feb. 14, the Utah Attorney General’s Office informed them that the officers did not do anything that would support a criminal charge.
According to the SLCPD, an internal investigation found that an OME contractor asked the office’s investigator if they could engage in some “controlled popping” on Lloyd’s body. The investigator permitted them to do so.
“Almost simultaneously, the (SLCPD officer-in-training) approached OME personnel, at the direction of at least two of the other SLCPD officers, and offered to help lift Mr. Lloyd’s body,” the press release stated. “The contractor asked the (SLCPD officer-in-training) if he wanted to help and gave the (SLCPD officer-in-training) a cutting device, which was later determined to be a utility knife.”
One of the contractors giving the officer-in-training a utility knife. (The Salt Lake City Police Department)
SLCPD said the officer-in-training asked the OME contractor what he wanted him to do. The contractor instructed the officer-in-training to pop the blisters, which the officer did.
“The SLCPD’s internal affairs findings concluded that the (SLCPD officer-in-training had reasonable grounds to believe his actions were allowed and approved,” the press release stated.
The investigation also found that the officer in training’s field training officer instructed him not to report the popping.
“Since this incident, SLCPD employees have received additional training on professionalism, decorum, and ethics. All (field training officers) have also received additional training on expectations,” the press release stated.
According to SLCPD, six of the seven SLCPD employees returned to work for the department. The field training officer involved resigned before SLCPD could complete its investigation.
SLCPD said three of the employees were cleared of misconduct, but the other four were found to have violated one or more department or city policies. The department issued disciplinary actions ranging from a formal letter of warning to unpaid suspension.
Brown released a statement about the actions found in the investigation:
Our investigation found that some of the conduct in this case was unprofessional, discourteous, disrespectful, and offensive. This behavior does not align with the professionalism and integrity we demand as a police department. I extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Lloyd’s family. Every person we encounter deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Our decorum during death investigations must never again fall short of our core values as it did at times in this case.
– Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown
In a statement to KSL, the OME said it performed its own investigation of the incident and found “no wrongdoing on the part of our investigator.”
However, OME said the contractor who gave the knife to the officer-in-training will no longer respond to its calls.
“Due to this incident, we have increased our internal training for staff, emphasizing our duty and commitment to treating decedents with the highest level of care,” OME said.
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