SANDY, Utah — Five Salt Lake City police officers are facing disciplinary action for falsifying time cards, with the state suspending their law enforcement certifications.
The Peace Officer Standards and Training Council overheard the cases for the majority of the meeting, which were argued to be part of an overall “culture” for the department post-pandemic in 2022.
In 2022, the officers signed up for overtime shifts to move homeless encampments by a Salt Lake City business. But upon hearing an officer brag about being paid hours they did not work in 2024, an audit later found the time cards filled did not match the hours actually worked.
The attorneys and officers stated that, at the time, COVID-19-related restrictions led to “flexible schedules” that resulted in officers showing up late for their scheduled shifts due to a lack of supervision.
Such camp mitigation shifts often had no supervision to ensure officers arrived on time, said officers during the meeting. An attorney mentioned such concerns are being addressed by the newly appointed police chief.
The Peace Officer Standards and Training Council investigations alleged misconduct by officers before recommending penalties. Those penalties are later reviewed and approved during quarterly meetings.
A statement by the Salt Lake City Police Departments reads in full:
On June 24, 2025, the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council issued a three-month suspension of law enforcement certification for five sworn employees of the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD).
This action follows POST’s independent review of attendance and timekeeping matters previously investigated by the SLCPD and referred to POST by the SLCPD, consistent with its statutory requirements. Upon receiving notice of POST’s decision, the SLCPD placed the involved employees on paid administrative leave pending further administrative review.
The conduct examined in these cases occurred in 2022. Since that time, the SLCPD has taken administrative action to improve accountability related to timekeeping and attendance. While updates have been made, the department’s new administration is still learning about the case and is working to identify additional ways to enhance our operations and control measures.
We appreciate the continued support and patience of our community and our personnel as we carry out this process.
