WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - 19 criminal cases are being dismissed by Salt Lake County District Attorney because of possible illegal actions of a West Valley police detective. That unnamed detective is currently under investigation.
Wednesday night West Valley City Police are doing damage control.
"The West Valley Police Department understands that conducting these types of investigations is part of maintaining the public's trust," said Sgt. Jason Hauer, West Valley Police Spokesperson.
The investigation police are referring stems from Salt County District Attorney Sim Gill. Wednesday Gill dismissed 19 court cases all tied to possible misconduct from one West Valley police detective.
"These cases were dismissed today because this person has been identified as the lead officer there," said Sim Gill, Salt Lake County District Attorney.
The District Attorney wouldn't tell ABC 4 which detective he's talking about, but said once his office started looking at the paperwork they couldn't trust the evidence submitted in the detective’s reports. So they threw them out, 19 cases all together, mostly dealing with drug crimes.
"The evidence may be compromised and that's really what we're suggesting here," said Gill.
Gill said the detective is currently being investigated and could face criminal charges. West Valley Police were the first the notice the issue, and they want to reassure people the detective is the only officer facing these allegations.
"The acts of one officer don't represent the many in this police department," said Hauer.
West Valley police tell ABC 4 the detective at the center of this misconduct is on administrative leave.
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