BYU police request state audit

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BYU Police vehicles are parked west of the JKB, where BYU Police headquarters is located. (Sadie Blood)
University Police vehicles are parked west of the JKB, where University Police headquarters is located. (Sadie Blood)

BYU’s University Police has requested an audit from the Utah Department of Public Safety’s State Bureau of Investigation (DPS) for a possible violation related to sexual assault reporting made on campus this spring.

The audit came at the request of BYU Police Chief Larry Stott, and other law enforcement administrators in Utah County, according to the Department of Public Safety’s news release.

According to the DPS’s online statement, they will be working with the BYU Police Department and other law enforcement agencies involved in order to determine the scope and focus of the investigation.

“If appropriate, at the conclusion of the investigation the findings will be reported to the Utah County Attorney’s Office and the requesting agencies,” the statement read.

The investigation is currently active and the DPS cannot release any further information.

BYU Police spokesman Lt. Steven Messick explained that the investigation is an in-depth audit, even though the University Police has regular audits.

“We are having (the DPS) investigate us to make sure there isn’t a problem,” Messick said. “If we had something, we would have dealt with it beforehand.”

Messick does not know when or how long the investigation will take place.

University spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said that the requested audit is an opportunity to make room for improvements. “This invitation is part of BYU’s broader efforts to study and improve the university sexual assault reporting process,” Jenkins said.

“Although this request was initiated by BYU’s chief of police, the university’s Advisory Council on Campus Response to Sexual Assault welcomes this feedback.”

Messick said that no one in the University Police department has any expectations from the audit, other than to make sure their procedures are correct.

“We want to do things correctly to protect our victims and others.”

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