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THREAD: Today, @UUtah released a report concluding that one of its police officers showed multiple co-workers intimate evidence photos of Lauren McCluskey.
That officer, Miguel Deras, was supposed to be investigating McCluskey's concern of extortion.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/08/05/report-university-utah/
That officer, Miguel Deras, was supposed to be investigating McCluskey's concern of extortion.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/08/05/report-university-utah/
In the report, one staffer recounted that Deras commented about getting to “look at them whenever he wants.” And that employee admitted he, too, made crude remarks.
Another said others chimed in, saying Deras was “lucky” to to work on the case and McCluskey was a “cute girl.”
Another said others chimed in, saying Deras was “lucky” to to work on the case and McCluskey was a “cute girl.”
The report from the Utah Department of Public Safety was spurred by a May report in @sltrib about Deras’s misconduct.
Here's that original story: https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/05/17/university-utah-police/
Here's that original story: https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/05/17/university-utah-police/
The state’s final report reinforces and expands on The Tribune’s reporting, concluding that the images were displayed inappropriately at the end of a staff briefing in October 2018 — days before McCluskey was killed by the man exploiting her.
Deras, the report finds, showed the pictures on 4 separate occasions.
When he showed them to 3 co-workers, it was NOT work-related and inappropriate comments were made.
He also showed them to superiors at different times, mostly asking how to upload them to the dpt's database.
When he showed them to 3 co-workers, it was NOT work-related and inappropriate comments were made.
He also showed them to superiors at different times, mostly asking how to upload them to the dpt's database.
BUT Deras also showed a sergeant one of the nude photos of McCluskey while they were at the crime scene on the night she was fatally shot on campus, after the superior said, “I wonder what she looked like.” https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/08/05/report-university-utah/
The investigators were unable to determine whether Deras had saved the photos to his personal phone.
But, the report notes, Deras switched phones after McCluskey was killed, so the data later recovered on his device was encrypted or corrupted. THAT MEANS IT WAS INCONCLUSIVE.
But, the report notes, Deras switched phones after McCluskey was killed, so the data later recovered on his device was encrypted or corrupted. THAT MEANS IT WAS INCONCLUSIVE.
Deras currently works for @Logancitypolice in northern Utah, where he was hired after leaving the U. in Sept. 2019.
There was no immediate response from the department there after the report was released Wednesday.
There was no immediate response from the department there after the report was released Wednesday.
The state also hasn’t yet determined whether it will suspend or revoke Deras’s police certification based on the findings, said Maj. Scott Stephenson, who oversees the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) division.
BUT the U. announced that it is “pursuing action against individual officers."
Police Chief Rodney Chatman confirmed only that action was taken against three individuals, largely for not reporting the misconduct when it first occurred.
He declined to give further details.
Police Chief Rodney Chatman confirmed only that action was taken against three individuals, largely for not reporting the misconduct when it first occurred.
He declined to give further details.
Chatman told @sltrib: “What I learned through the course of this investigation was troubling to me. It is not the way we will be doing business.”
It's important to note that for the review of Deras’s conduct, DPS staff interviewed nearly 40 current and former employees of the U.‘s campus police department.
BUT Deras declined to participate.
BUT Deras declined to participate.
His attorneys have previously denied that he showed off any photos, calling The Tribune’s story “patently false” despite the U.‘s confirmation at the time.
Neither Deras nor his lawyers responded immediately Wednesday for comment. https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/05/19/utah-department-public/
Neither Deras nor his lawyers responded immediately Wednesday for comment. https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/05/19/utah-department-public/
The U. has said that it didn’t know about the inappropriate behavior by Deras until after he had already left the department + after @sltrib brought it up in a public records request.
The school had done its own review of the situation but concluded it was not thorough enough.
The school had done its own review of the situation but concluded it was not thorough enough.
