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SALT LAKE CITY — Two foundations associated with the Salt Lake City Police Department are under investigation by the FBI.
The department became aware of the investigation into the Police Mutual Aid Association, or PMAA, and the Salt Lake City Police Foundation, or SLCPF, last month and has since put a hold on its involvement with the foundations.
It's unclear what prompted the investigation.
In a July 17 letter to the police foundation, interim Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said the investigation "touches on matters related to the Salt Lake City Police Department's relationship with foundations." He also said the city did not initiate the investigation, which "has been open for some time."
The hold on the two foundations includes the use of city property and resources for meetings, fundraisers and other events.
A statement from the executive board of the police foundation did not elaborate on what the organization is accused of. The foundation said it plans to retain legal counsel to protect its independent nonprofit status from "what appears to be unsubstantiated claims aimed at disrupting our work in the community."
The foundation "has never been contacted by the FBI, and we have not been given any reason to believe that we will. If such contact occurs, the SLCP Foundation will be more than cooperative," the board stated.
The two independent organizations head several community efforts, including offering support to sick officers, funding youth programs, fallen officer ceremonies, student art scholarships and other outreach efforts.
Brown, who was appointed as interim chief after former Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank — an ex-officio board member of the foundation — was forced to resign, said he recognizes the two foundations' efforts with the department, but it's unclear how the investigation will influence their relationship in the future.
"I recognize the good intentions of the PMAA and the SLCPF and the men and women who support the organizations' efforts through their donations of time and money," Brown said in the letter.
Several of the foundation's executives have ties to Salt Lake County leadership. Donald Dunn, chairman of the foundation's board of directors, is the husband of Deputy Mayor Nichole Dunn. Maura Carabello, a foundation administrator, is president of public affairs firm The Exoro Group, where Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams is renting space to store campaign materials.
"I have no connection to the Salt Lake Police Foundation," McAdams said in a prepared statement. "I know several people who have served the foundation, some of whom have supported me. I don't have any knowledge of their work with the foundation. Many of my supporters are involved with numerous independent endeavors. I have no knowledge of any investigation into the Salt Lake Police Foundation."
The FBI declined to comment Saturday.
