SANDY, Utah -- The agency that certifies and disciplines all police officers in Utah has banned sexting or masturbation while on duty.
The issue has arisen in recent cases of officer discipline, where the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council found there weren't rules explicitly forbidding the practice. FOX 13 first reported on the proposed rule in June.
"You would think common sense would rule the day, but unfortunately, that's not the case," Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter, who chairs the POST Council, told FOX 13 on Tuesday.
In a unanimous vote, the council approved the guidelines. POST Executive Director Major Scott Stephenson described it as "doing stuff you shouldn’t be doing on duty at taxpayer expense." The discussion brought some nervous laughter from some in the council chambers.
The guidelines were expanded to include forbidding an officer sending pictures of their own genitalia while in uniform. Punishment could include suspension or revocation of an officer's badge.
