UT - 7 police officers disciplined for using utility knife on dead homeless man's body - Salt Lake City, Aug. 8, 2024

[Clearsky]

Police Officers Disciplined for Using Utility Knife on Dead Homeless Man’s Body, as Bodycam Footage Shows Them Laughing

Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) officers were disciplined for using a utility knife on a deceased homeless man’s body. Six of the seven SLCPD employees who faced disciplinary action for the August 2024 incident have since returned to work.

people.com

On Friday, Feb. 28, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) released bodycam footage of the August 2024 incident, during which several employees "mishandled" the body of 47-year-old Jason Lloyd, whose death was classified as "non-suspicious" by police.

 

[azure]

Police Officers Disciplined for Using Utility Knife on Dead Homeless Man’s Body, as Bodycam Footage Shows Them Laughing

Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) officers were disciplined for using a utility knife on a deceased homeless man’s body. Six of the seven SLCPD employees who faced disciplinary action for the August 2024 incident have since returned to work.

people.com

On Friday, Feb. 28, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) released bodycam footage of the August 2024 incident, during which several employees "mishandled" the body of 47-year-old Jason Lloyd, whose death was classified as "non-suspicious" by police.

"In the bodycam footage, a medical examiner contractor can be heard asking if they could do "controlled popping" on Lloyd's body, and another investigator agreed. The contractor can then be seen handing the officer-in-training the knife."

First of all, medical examiner contractor, have we privatized MEs? Secondly, is there any legitimate reason to "pop" the deceased's blisters?

 

[bombardier]

First of all, medical examiner contractor, have we privatized MEs? Secondly, is there any legitimate reason to "pop" the deceased's blisters?

so, so weird, and completely inappropriate. the only situation where I ~could~ see blister popping being done (and this is a stretch), is if the body was heavily decomposed, with large fluid-filled blisters, which could have burst once the body was being moved, making a mess of the officers and the body bag. in that situation, is it cleaner to burst the largest blisters prior while the body is still on the ground? i guess so, but def. not routine, sanitary (doubt these guys were wearing heavy PPE out there), or taught (would be a better idea just to move the body gently to avoid rupturing). it looked not suspicious at scene but imagine if an autopsy had revealed different; the body has now been 'tampered' with postmortem.
the article kind of makes it sound like it wasn't for an actual reason, but just to gross out the officers in training and have a laugh

 

[bombardier]

the bodycam footage has been posted online. the incident starts ~9:50. seems like stupid hazing, which they should have known would be on bodycam. i have nothing against jokes (i work with the deceased and we try to keep it light) but they definitely crossed a line.

 

[LadyL]

really weird thing to do and laugh about ... and what would the blisters be from I wonder?
RIP Jason