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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS -- Beau Babka, a Cottonwood Heights police officer and former Republican candidate for Salt Lake County sheriff, has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo said Babka was notified of the investigation Dec. 27. The police department has been in talks with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office and will present its findings to the office by Thursday.
Russo said he couldn't comment on internal personnel issues until they become public, but said his office moved quickly to address the issue once he became aware.
"The city enjoys a reputation of being transparent and upright with its citizens and we don't tolerate anything that would even remotely erode the public trust," he said.
Sources have told the Deseret News that the allegations involve Babka allegedly using a city credit card to buy gasoline for his personal vehicle. Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore wouldn't confirm this allegation, saying only that "there were some behaviors that warranted paid administrative leave."
"When you're in law enforcement, any kind of violation has to be treated very seriously, so that is the situation," Cullimore said.
He said officers can use a city credit card to maintain their patrol vehicles only.
Babka is a law enforcement veteran of almost 20 years. He has served as both the police chief of South Salt Lake and as undersheriff to current Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder.
In his 2010 bid for the sheriff's post, he called the position a "higher calling" that needed to be treated with "reverence." He lost to Democratic incumbent Jim Winder, who netted 57 percent of the vote.
It was his third time running for public office, having run for sheriff in 2002 and running as a Democrat for a Congressional post in Utah's 3rd District 2004.
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Story compiled with contributions from Emiley Morgan and Sandra Yi.
