- Tooele County School District wants to charge $6,651.05 for access to its teacher disciplinary records
- State law encourages the government to provide records "without charge" if the records would benefit the public
- FOX 13 News is appealing the decision in district court, Adam Herbets vs. Tooele County School District
Some members of the Salt Lake City community have been calling for Chief Mike Brown's resignation for years.
Now they are getting their wish.
Chief Brown's critics seemed to start out quiet, voicing concerns only behind the scenes.
In 2020, the union representing SLCPD officers took a vote of "no confidence" in Chief Brown. Approximately 91 percent stated they did not have confidence in him as the leader of the department.
"The pressure our chief is facing right now is unfathomable," said SLCPD Officer Jon Fitisemanu, a member of the union. "(City leaders) are more concerned about holding onto their jobs than the wellbeing of the officers."
Around that time, officers left the department in droves.
It led to more crime and slower response times to the most urgent 911 calls.
Priority 1 calls are the most serious 911 calls received by the department.
In August 2020, the department had an average Priority 1 response time of 18 minutes, 36 seconds.
FOX 13 News reported on the slow response times in 2021.
“It’s a direct relationship to our staffing,” said Chief Mike Brown. “I think, at the high-water mark, we had 92 officers leave the department.”
The Salt Lake Police Association stated officers were leaving because of Chief Brown's poor leadership.
The union indicated its officers could no longer guarantee the safety of the citizens they were sworn to protect.
"Sometimes you can't control who you work for," said Sgt. Keith Horrocks, a spokesperson for the department. "Unfortunately for some of our officers that has meant going to another department. I know that (Chief Brown) has wished them well. Would he like to keep those officers? Absolutely. Is he thinking about that? I think he is."
Horrocks stated in 2021 that the department's goal for a Priority 1 response time was 5 minutes.
However, in 2022, Chief Brown stated his goal has "always" been 10 minutes.
“That’s just been something that we’ve always looked at," Chief Brown said. "It’s a good average."
“That is not a politically directed (goal), but it was arrived at by the chief,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
Court filings in 2023 show attorneys for Salt Lake City argued victims of violent crime have "no constitutional right" to receive first aid from police. The filings were in response to a lawsuit filed by the family of Ryan Outlaw, a man who died in 2020 after two officers declined to provide first aid when he was found stabbed in an elevator. Bodycam video shows Outlaw begged the officers for help. The officers, who were trained in first aid, insisted that they were not paramedics; instead Outlaw would have to wait for an ambulance.
SLCPD was unable to respond until approximately 27 minutes after the first 911 call.
Paramedics did not arrive until approximately 8 minutes later.
Outlaw died at a local hospital after transport, 2 hours 10 minutes after the first 911 call.
Chief Brown publicly stood up for the officers in 2022.
“Absolutely, I stand by these officers and what they did that day,” said Chief Brown. “I think they did a great job.”
“Our officers, we believe, did as they were trained,” said Mayor Mendenhall.
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly when rumors began to swirl about Chief Brown either retiring or being fired.
Darin Mano, a member of the Salt Lake City Council, dismissed the rumors in 2021.
"I have not heard anything about the chief losing his job," Mano said. "Now the mayor can fire the chief without the council, so she might be talking about that, but I have a pretty good relationship with Mayor Mendenhall and I've not hear her utter anything to that effect."
FOX 13 News asked Chief Brown directly in 2022.
"How long do you want to be chief?" asked FOX 13 News investigative reporter Adam Herbets.
Chief Brown laughed.
He made it sound like he would not be retiring any time soon.
"Well, I have a 10-year-old son," Chief Brown said. "I didn't get married until later in life, so I have younger kids. My retirement plans are a little bit different than a lot of my peers."
In 2023, FOX 13 News reported on a series of internal affairs investigations within the department.
That's when multiple retired SLCPD administrators came forward to say Chief Brown is not fair, consistent, or impartial in the way he handles internal affairs cases. They described Chief Brown as an administrator who plays favorites and is slow to make decisions, applying "different rules for different officers."
"It was really frustrating the last few years of the decision-making process in the department, especially in internal affairs matters," said retired SLCPD Capt. Richard Lewis. "In my opinion, we haven't evolved... It might be time for a change, and I hate to say that because we used to be friends. He is a nice guy. He has done some good, but I think that the officers have lost faith in his leadership."
LaMar Ewell, who served as Chief Brown's deputy chief, expressed disappointment in the department's handling of internal affairs investigations.
In 2023, he stated he would like to see Chief Brown retire.
"(Chief Brown) really is a worrier," Ewell said. "I don't know what changed with the media... The only thing I can say is that we have a new communications director. We haven't had any policy changes or anything."
Former SLC Mayor Rocky Anderson decided to run against Mayor Mendenhall in 2023.
He promised voters he would fire Chief Brown if given the opportunity to come back and lead the city.
Anderson also had the support of former SLCPD Chief Chris Burbank.
"The problem we have with police chiefs across this country, with elected officials, is they're too busy trying to keep their jobs and not doing their jobs," Burbank said.
The department has also faced criticism and scrutiny from the Utah State Legislature.
In February 2024, lawmakers threatened to kick SLCPD out of the Salt Lake City Airport. They accused the department of ignoring a law designed to protected concealed carry permit holders.
Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, said her bill to replace SLCPD officers at the airport with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) likely had more than enough votes to pass. Instead, the Legislature chose to give SLCPD a second chance.
In November 2024, the Legislature ordered a performance audit into the "efficiency and effectiveness" of SLCPD.
Sources close to FOX 13 News say investigators arrived at SLCPD the week before Chief Brown announced his resignation in 2025.
Chief Brown stated he resigned to spend more time with his family.
Mayor Mendenhall stated it was time for the city to move in a new direction.
Neither of them agreed to an interview.