KAYSVILLE, Utah, Feb. 17, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Kaysville Police Officer Michael Criddle has been returned to full duty almost nine months after a social media scandal that made it look as if his wife, Amber, posted racist comments on a local media website.
“On May 28, 2020, the Kaysville Police Department was contacted by multiple sources indicating that it appeared as though the wife of a Kaysville Officer, Officer Criddle, made racist comments on an ABC4 Facebook page reporting on the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis,” says a statement released Wednesday by the Kaysville Police Department on its Facebook page.
“Although Officer Criddle himself, was not accused of racism or posting the racist comments, he was immediately placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.”
Investigators interviewed numerous people, subpoenaed records of private companies, and extracted data from digital devices, the statement says.
“Throughout the investigation, multiple people came forward with unsolicited information about a suspect that was believed to have created a fake account under Officer Criddle’s wife’s name and posting the racist comments.
“The investigation revealed evidence that this suspect had perpetrated these same types of offenses multiple times in the past. Evidence indicated that the suspect had done this to Officer Criddle’s wife as well as numerous other people that (s)he had conflicts with over the last several years.”
Internal and external investigations “produced no indication that Officer Criddle or his wife had any involvement with the racist post in question or any other racist actions or inclinations,” the statement says.
“The internal investigation into the matter has been closed and Officer Criddle will be returned to full-duty, effective immediately.”
The statement did not name the suspect in the case or indicate whether any charges would be filed in the case.
Read the full statement below or by clicking on the link, above.
Kaysville Police Department
Public Announcement:
“On May 28, 2020, the Kaysville Police Department was contacted by multiple sources indicating that it appeared as though the wife of a Kaysville Officer, Officer Criddle, made racist comments on an ABC4 Facebook page reporting on the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis.
“Although Officer Criddle himself, was not accused of racism or posting the racist comments, he was immediately placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
“The investigation involved interviewing numerous people, subpoenaing the records of private companies, and extracting data from digital devices.
“Throughout the investigation, multiple people came forward with unsolicited information about a suspect that was believed to have created a fake account under Officer Criddle’s wife’s name and posting the racist comments.
“The investigation revealed evidence that this suspect had perpetrated these same types of offenses multiple times in the past. Evidence indicated that the suspect had done this to Officer Criddle’s wife as well as numerous other people that (s)he had conflicts with over the last several years.
“The internal investigation and a criminal investigation conducted by an outside agency produced no indication that Officer Criddle or his wife had any involvement with the racist post in question or any other racist actions or inclinations.
“The internal investigation into the matter has been closed and Officer Criddle will be returned to full-duty, effective immediately.”
