Leak Investigation Halts Talk Between Police, Review Board

None by KCPW

Chief Says Due Process at Stake

(KCPW News) For the last month, there has been no communication between the Salt Lake City Police Department and its Civilian Review Board. That comes as a direct result of an investigation into who leaked the board's findings in an excessive use of force case to the media. Police Chief Chris Burbank says his concern remains the rights of officers when complaints are brought to the board for review:

"The thing that's important as we look at this process is police officers and law enforcement across this country are there to protect due process rights. It's important that we also protect police officers' due process rights, and that's part of what this is tied up in."

Initially, Burbank launched an internal investigation to find the source of the leak. The City Attorney's office then took over the case. Communication between the police department and the Civilian Review Board stopped while a private investigator looked into phone records and other information. Burbank says that investigation failed to find the source of the leak and communication with the board is back on track.

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