SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Several Salt Lake City police officers have been disciplined after body camera footage revealed they mishandled and mocked the body of a deceased homeless man in the summer of 2024, FOX 13 reported.
The footage, released on Feb. 28, shows officers laughing as they used a box cutter to slice through blisters on the deceased man’s skin. One officer initially thought it was a prank but said he was pressured by senior officers, according to the report.
The department placed seven employees on leave after the incident came to light. Following an internal investigation:
- One officer violated eight department policies and resigned.
- Another officer violated four policies and received a three-day suspension.
- A third officer violated two policies and received a warning.
- One employee violated one policy, but no written record of discipline was found.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office conducted a criminal investigation, but prosecutors have not filed charges, according to the report.
Body camera footage
The video shows two officers instructing the officer in training to move the deceased man’s body while making jokes. The rookie was handed a box cutter and told not to mention it in his police report, though unsubmitted drafts show he attempted to document his actions.
“I feel like you’re pranking me,” the rookie said. “Why are you smirking like that?”
Video shows the rookie officer being handed a box cutter. After the incident, the three officers in the video laughed.
“You guys suck,” the rookie said.
“We had to do that,” an officer responded.
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Department response
SLCPD Chief Mike Brown condemned the officers’ conduct, calling it “unprofessional, discourteous, disrespectful and offensive.”
“This behavior does not align with the professionalism and integrity we demand as a police department,” Brown stated. “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.”
